Dirge of Hell
by Theisaryz Eufuelle
Summary: From birth until death - the story of Hades Aidoneus, king of the underworld. Romance, Drama, Family, Comedy and Tragedy all rolled in one. (Updates every Saturday/Sunday)
1. Inside Cronus

In this universe, there was the God and there were gods.

Cronus, the youngest of the Titans, the leader of The Rebellion, looked down on his father's unseeing, glazed eyes, the corpse of Uranus, the previous king, lying cold beneath his sandals, the golden ichor – the blood of the gods – gradually spreading over the earth. He gripped the Adamantine Sickle tighter in his hands as he surveyed his handicraft for a moment longer, basking in his moment of glory and triumph.

With his bloody hands, he reached for the golden crown on the corpse's head and forcefully tore it away, the bones of the corpse's neck making a snapping sound.

"Your stagnant rule is over father," Cronus declared, raising the crown high before ceremoniously setting it on his blood-stained brow. "I am the king now!" He laughed lowly, gradually becoming louder and hysterical by the minute.

The primordial gods of night and darkness slowly walked on the heavens, their black, literally star-studded cloths billowing behind them, as they painted the heavens with their colors – the color of the night. Nyx, the goddess of night, gripped her husband's hand tighter.

"It is over my love," Erebus, the god of darkness, brother and husband to Nyx, whispered comfortingly as he held her in his arms, shielding her from the gruesome sight below. An immortal had just been made mortal and was murdered. The first deicide in history.

"I favored him," Nyx whispered as she looked at the dead god, the previous god of the sky, who was now disintegrating and dissolving like sand into a thousand sparks. "I gave him the crown his son now wears."

"I know," he replied, running his hands up and down his wife's back soothingly. "It is simply the ineffable fate."

888

Under the rule of the Titans, the Universe thrived. The duties to keep the balance of the Universe were assigned to the Titan siblings by Cronus. He made sure that everyone had a role in the grand system of the gods. The sky and the seas were under his government but he didn't touch the realm below, the homeland of the Primordial gods. For him, the Underworld was not essential to his domain and thus was not a part of his kingdom.

Rhea, wife and queen of Cronus, was sitting beside the windowsill of the large extravagant bedchamber, looking out to the flourishing kingdom his husband had wrought, as she rubbed circles with her hands on her heavily pregnant stomach.

A large hand suddenly covered hers without stopping her ministrations. "Our first child," Cronus sighed as he embraced her tenderly from behind. Rhea turned her head to look at her husband, smiled and pecked his cheek lovingly.

_Our first child, _she thought as she leaned on him and looked fondly over her well-rounded belly.

Suddenly a cramping, squeezing pain racked her middle. She gasped the first time it happened but ignored it, thinking it was one of the false contractions she'd been having lately. But when they came again, this time becoming more regular in frequency and stronger, she asked her husband for a glass of water. Cronus immediately ran to get her a glass of ambrosia but when he returned, Rhea was standing up with a steady trickle of water gushing from her legs.

"The baby, he's coming out," she told him and then calmly pointed to the bedside table. "Please leave the glass there and leave."

Cronus silently left the goblet of ambrosia on the table. With a curt nod, he turned and walked out the door, closing it behind him. Like a loyal sentinel, he stood stoically outside their bedroom as he waited in anticipation for the birth of his first child, hoping for a son. Pained moans and heavy, rhythmic breathing could be heard from the other side of the door. He was excited yet at the same time frightened for his wife. As a male, he could never experience the pain of childbirth but if his strong, willful and ruthless queen could be reduced to expressing her pain then it must be really painful.

And the labor lasted well into the night before a wail heralded the birth of a prince.

888

"Erebus dear, do come here!" Nyx called in her pleasantly high pitched voice. At the sound of her voice, Erebus at once appeared by her side.

"What is it, my love?"

"Look," she answered, pointing her ethereal finger towards the castle on Mount Othrys. "Isn't it amazing?"

"Oh yes, quite," he remarked, faking enthusiasm and not really having a clue as to what Nyx meant or what she was pointing at.

"The poor dear looks so exhausted," she said as she watched Rhea place the newborn in the golden cradle. "But Cronus doesn't care at all, how horrible." Then smiling again she continued, "but isn't he just darling?"

At the mention of a 'he' Erebus perked up and paid more attention to whatever it was that Nyx was pointing. If 'he' was a potential romantic interest, then he would smother him in darkness, never to be seen again. But his plans never came into fruition as he finally discovered that 'he' was nothing but a baby boy.

"Oh my," he breathed, quite taken by the newborn at first sight.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, my love," Nyx laughed. "Come let us greet him shall we?"

And like a pair of thieves, they stealthily climbed up the window and crept towards the infant's bed, careful not to wake the sleeping mother. They quietly cooed and touched the prince, arousing him from his sleepiness. He looked at the two gods with quiet fascination as the older pair made fool of themselves in an effort to make him smile. And they were successful.

"Aw, he's so cute!" Nyx said quietly as she looked tenderly on the laughing newborn.

"I wonder what his name is," Erebus wondered aloud as he bent his head to the side in thought.

"His name is Hades Aidoneus," a new voice replied.

"Oh, Cronus!" Nyx exclaimed when they both turned around in surprise to find the Titan king leaning against the doorway. "We didn't know you were there, dear."

"So did I _dear_ aunt," he replied coldly then narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What are you doing here?"

"We were just passing around," Erebus answered uneasily.

"We wanted to see the babe," Nyx said more confidently. "He seemed lonely, you see. So we took it upon ourselves to accompany him. Do you mind if I sing him to sleep, nephew?"

Cronus smirked. "Not at all. Go ahead and be my guest."

Nyx tenderly lifted the prince and cradled him in her arms. She cleared her throat before singing in such an enchantingly beautiful voice:

_Come don't say a word now,  
__Come don't make a sound now.  
__Take my hand and close your eyes,  
__Let your spirit soar_

_I will send Hypnos,  
__To bring you deep slumber.  
__I will send Morpheus,  
__To give you good dreams.__  
_

_Be at peace little one,_ she thought as she continued rocking the baby sound asleep in her arms. But their attentions immediately shifted to the doorway when they heard a thud. Cronus, the king of the Universe, was no match against Nyx's lullaby as he fell on the floor, snoring. The primordial gods smiled to each other and quietly left the sleeping family alone.

888

"We had a deal, son!" Gaea thundered as she marched down the red marble halls of Cronus' throne room.

"I fulfilled my end of the deal. I freed my brothers from within you," the king replied coldly from his throne, not even sparing the goddess of earth a glance.

"I ordered you to free your brothers completely!" she shouted. "You have imprisoned them in Tartarus instead and reneged on our deal!"

"No one orders me around!" Cronus said icily as he stood imperiously. "I need not explain to you that my hideous brothers have no role in my kingdom. All trash deserves to go to Tartarus! You have no right to make a racket here, _mother. _Begone from my sight!"

"You will rue this day, Cronus!" Gaea told him. "I cast a curse on you: you shall share the same bitter fate as your father."

"Begone!" Cronus bellowed, waving his hand and exiling Gaea out of his sight. He sat back down on his majestic throne, his hands trembling, shaken as the curse echoed inside his head.

His rule had barely begun yet a foreseeable end had already been cast on his horizon. No, he has so much to do. His kingdom, his purpose, his role was not yet complete!

No one, not even his children, would deny him of his destiny.

He marched straight into the bedroom; the sight of his wife tenderly nursing his newborn son greeted him. With a smile, he took Hades into his arms and gently placed a kiss on his forehead, his first and last fatherly act, before he opened his mouth wide and quickly swallowed the infant whole.

Rhea cried, beating her fists against his chest and demanding for answers, aghast from what she just witnessed. But he gave Gaea's prophecy as his terse explanation. That was the first time Rhea truly understood the depths of Cronus' lust for power and his depravity.

When Nyx discovered of this heinous act, she was immediately revolted. She imagined the little baby inside of his father's stomach alone and afraid. She immediately talked to her daughters, the Sisters of Fate, the weavers of destinies, to ask for a solution for the prince's predicament. But they reprimanded her and declared that it was not her fate but another's to free the child inside his father's belly. That was all the reassurance she needed. At least she knew that someday, Hades would get out of there. In the meantime, she dedicated herself to making sure that the child was not lonely.

888

Hades fell a long way down and ended up in one of the deepest, most cavernous pit of the Titan king's stomach. He wailed from the pain of the impact, calling for his mother to comfort him. But no one came to hold him.

He cried until he could only whimper. Then suddenly, a familiar, soothing voice sang from the darkness. He remembered the two beings that came to make him smile and was comforted by the memory. The memory of being cradled in a gentle embrace lulled him to sleep. From that day forth, he was a child of darkness.

888

One day, when Hades looked about the age of a nine year old mortal, something dropped from the ceiling. The thing made the same noise he had when he first arrived in the bowels of Cronus. He followed the sound blindly to its source and found something moving wrapped in cloth. The object was shining with something called – if he remembered correctly – light.

All the things he learned come from the two voices always present around him. They whisper things in his ear and keep him company and sometimes they teach him through dreams. But most of the things they taught him about, he has yet to experience.

For the first time in a long time, he regained usage of the things in his face called 'eyes' that the voices told him about. He could…

_What was that word again?_ He thought. _Oh, that's right! 'See'. But what is this? _

He circled the object and poked the whimpering thing with his finger tentatively. The action caused the thing to make the same sound he was unfamiliar with, only louder this time. It was so loud he thought his ears would burst!

"Be quiet!" he commanded as he covered his ears. The thing instantly became silent as if it understood what he just said. Hades stared at the thing and found it staring back at him. They quietly observed each other with rapt attention.

"Can you tell me what that is?" Hades whispered, still not taking his eyes off of the newfound object.

_That is not a 'that' dear, _chuckled a high pitched female voice. _Repeat after me, 'who is she?' _

"Who is she?" he repeated slowly.

_She is your sister, Hestia, _answered a deep masculine voice.

"Sister?"

_Yes, isn't that just darling? You have a sister now, dear. You will have to take care of her now. _

Hades gulped. "Take care?"

_Yes, just like we did for you. Accompany her, teach her, and never make her cry, _the man's voice instructed.

"Will…will I be able to?" His voice was shaking. Suddenly he was laden with the heavy responsibility of taking care of a sister. He didn't know what that entailed but he had an idea that it must be pretty important.

_We will guide you of course, dear. _

Hades sighed in relief.

_Now pick her up gently. From now on, you are her dear older brother. Understand? _

Hades nodded and gently took the infant goddess into his tender young arms and cradled her. He smiled down at her as only an older brother could.

888

Hades now looked about the same age as a teenaged mortal with four little siblings to take care of, well three if one were to take Hestia's maturity into account. Hera and Poseidon were eaten together and therefore were about the same age while Demeter was eaten last and therefore the youngest of the group. They all have different personalities that sometimes clash with each other but they all got along under Hades' authoritative guidance.

Well, most of the time.

Hera and Poseidon for example, were extremely proud beings and they always found ways to annoy each other as if there was some sort of power play between them. Hades, with the guidance of Nyx and Erebus, recognized it as a matter of pride and accepted it as such. For all of them, pride was not necessarily a bad thing because when one was born a god, it comes with certain privileges such as the license to be proud, arrogant and obnoxious. But what Hades demanded from all of them was to respect and be fair with each other and he enforced these values with an iron fist.

But that doesn't mean the arguments stop.

"Hera!" Poseidon yelled, horrified as he snatched his old chiton from his sister's grasp. "I did not give you permission to play with my clothes!" He unfolded the clothing and stared aghast at the doll shaped holes on it. With an angry grunt, he forcefully pulled a lock of Hera's hair.

At the sharp sound of Hera's cry, Hestia and Hades raced to the scene. Hestia immediately consoled the crying goddess while Hades quietly surveyed the scene with a hard gaze.

After a moment, Hades sighed in exasperation. "Tell me what has occurred," he demanded in a low voice, shaking his head while pinching the bridge of his nose. Immediately both children straightened up. They knew the drill and knew they could somehow escape punishment (at least they thought they could) if they twisted the story in their favor. They narrowed their eyes at each other and then started their stories at exactly the same time.

"Stop," Hades held his hand up and immediately their dissonant voices stopped. "One at a time, please."

"Hera cut holes in my chiton so it is only just that I pull her hair!" Poseidon crossed his arms and reported smugly as if he had already won their elder brother's favor just because he used the word 'just' – Hades' dogma.

"Is this true?" Hades turned to Hera.

"That chiton was an old one and it didn't fit him anyway. I didn't want it to go to waste so I decided to play with it for a bit. But then he just rushed in and pulled my hair!" Hera pouted, trying to appeal her case through sympathy and childish charms.

"Hera, did you ask Poseidon for permission before permanently damaging his clothes?" Hades asked calmly.

"But he didn't need it!"

"Answer the question, please."

"…no," she looked away fearfully, finally aware of her folly. But if she asked for permission, she wouldn't have been able to play with it.

"Poseidon, why did you pull on Hera's hair?"

Both children looked up, one with hope and one with horror. Hera was so sure she would have been punished alone. It was nice to hear that Poseidon would get his share too!

"B-but she started it! She put holes on my clothes!" Poseidon panicked. He didn't understand why his brother was asking him a question. Usually only the person at fault was asked a question and Hera was clearly at fault!

"Why?" Hades repeated coolly.

Poseidon, like Hera, reluctantly looked away. "I was angry and I wanted revenge of some sort," he confessed honestly.

Hades nodded. "I understand how you feel Poseidon but it is not good to act upon impulse. Had you simply scolded Hera and reported back to me, it would have sufficed. I would have punished her alone and make her mend your clothes. However you did not. And Hera, as you know, it is not nice or respectful to simply destroy someone's property without permission. Since you both transgressed against each other, you shall both seek each other's forgiveness."

"I'm sorry," both petulant children spat briskly at each other.

"Do it again. This time sincerely. I repeat, you both were wrong," he reminded them patiently.

Their faces softened and they repeated the same words this time sincerely. Hades nodded, satisfied. "Now, Hera," he started. "You still have to _manually_ and _properly_ repair his chiton."

Hera gasped appalled, while Poseidon took on a triumphant countenance. _Manual labor? _She thought. _Brother wants me to do something so…menial? _

"And Poseidon, you will have to comb Hera's hair _gently _until it shines."

Poseidon's eyes widened as he felt his jaw drop with shock and humiliation. This was worse than Hera's punishment! At least Hera's punishment wouldn't be stripping her of her femininity!

The two children stared at each other with open disgust as Hades left.

"Now, it's not that bad," Hestia cooed, embracing her two mischievous siblings smilingly. "Come, I'll show you how to make your punishments easier. I'll teach you how to sew and I'll teach you how to comb a girl's hair," she whispered in their ears. Unbeknownst to the younger children, these were things she learned from none other than their manly eldest brother.

Demeter watched the entire scene quietly then proceeded to follow her big brother to his sanctuary – his 'room'. It wasn't a room but a rather small crevice in Cronus' intestinal wall. She tugged on Hades' skirt to grab his attention.

"Brother, up, up!" she demanded, reaching her little hands up.

With a smile, Hades gently picked up the young girl and braced her against his hips, "What is it, Demeter?"

"Hera and Poseidon bad?"

"No, not bad," Hades replied. "Just infinitely proud."

"Proud bad?" She cocked her head to the side.

He shook his head. "It makes one selfish and disrespectful. So do take care to temper your pride my stubborn little sister." He rubbed his nose against Demeter's in a gesture of affection. She laughed prettily and then wrapped her small arms around his neck.

888

Hades didn't know whether his siblings were more agreeable as toddlers or as teenagers – in the mortal equivalent of the word. They became a bit harder to control but he had successfully imprinted the values he wanted from an early age. But it was apparent that his siblings favored the value of fairness better than respect because with fairness, they were able to execute their own version of justice and retribution; and were able to exercise power over one another as they continued to argue.

But the ultimate judicial authority still belonged to Hades as he called the proper rewards, punishments and compromises. He was their disciplinarian and his sense of wisdom and justice impressed even Nyx and Erebus as they continued to watch over the siblings. For all of them, their most respectable older brother could do no wrong and they were content and at peace under his caring guidance in their small cage.

But peace was transient.

The fateful day of change started with the unnatural rumbling of the ground. The first ominous tremor had caught the attention of all the siblings but when the tremors didn't stop and progressively worsened, they gradually became alarmed and frightened. They all gathered in the largest cavern of their father's body and looked up to Hades for instructions.

"Brother, what's happening?" Hestia asked worriedly as she clutched the other women in a protective embrace.

_It is time child, to join the world of the outside, _whispered Erebus.

"We are getting out," Hades relayed tersely. "Out of Cronus."

"What is outside?" Poseidon asked, bravely masking the tremor in his voice that was not caused by the shaking ground.

"…I do not know," Hades answered honestly. Those words – more than the tremors of the ground or the prospect of confronting the unknown – frightened the gods. Their wise and omniscient brother (after all everything they knew came from him), did not know what was outside. How very terrifying.

Suddenly a hole appeared in the ceiling, opening at an alarming rate. The unknown scared Hades most of all. If something unfortunate waited on the other side, never mind him, what would happen to his younger siblings?

"Everyone, gather behind me," he commanded in that special voice that made no room for arguments. And then he and Hestia exchanged a meaningful look. This brother-sister duo had developed a very strong bond while growing up and they both shared the responsibility of taking care of the younger ones. Through that one glance, Hestia understood her responsibility to guide the sibling into a single file behind her while Hades formed the front lines – the first one to receive the brunt of the unknown.

Whatever awaited them, Hades would protect his siblings no matter the cost.

And so one by one, they were expelled from their dark world and into the outside.


	2. Titanomachy

The journey to the outside was very unpleasant, not to mention wet and tight as the five siblings slithered up their father's throat. Hades of course was the first to come out. Soaked in his father's saliva, he first assessed his surroundings. He didn't know where he was but if he would guess according to Nyx and Erebus's teachings, he was in a 'room'. An eye contact was made between him and another god, an unknown golden haired, young male god. This god's face was somehow familiar yet Hades knew he never met this boy before. He looked very young, a little younger than Demeter and, if his golden aura is to be judged, very energetic and lively.

"Did Cronus spit out a clone?" the young god mumbled. Hades raised an eyebrow but decided to let the comment slide. He looked behind him and saw that his other siblings were on their way. Hestia, the second one to come out, lay on the floor in a wet heap. He helped her up and whispered a command in her ear, "You must take our siblings somewhere safe if things get dangerous – I'll buy you some time if it comes to that. I believe father kept us imprisoned for a reason. Do you understand?"

"But what about you?" Hestia whispered back.

"Hestia" was all he said before she conceded in defeat. "Is everyone alright?" he said in a louder voice as he and Hestia helped their other siblings to their feet. Demeter, the last to come out, and the rest all nodded in answer.

"Hello everyone!" the young boy-god said breaking the invisible social bubble the five siblings created for themselves. What with all them only looking at this dark god for instructions, the golden haired boy felt quite left out. "I'm your brother Zeus and be grateful to me because I saved you!" He placed his hands on his hips in a triumphant appearance as if by saying so, everyone would look to him and kneel in his glorious presence. Hades thought Hera and Poseidon were proud but this one was downright arrogant. But since he is family (or so he claims), he can be partially trusted. With this in mind, Hades merely nodded towards Zeus but Hestia and the rest were more vocal with their gratitude. Although Hera and Poseidon were reluctant, they still said thank you. They were so accepting of this newcomer who suddenly announced that he was their long lost brother.

Zeus already liked his siblings. By the looks of it, they will be easy to get along with…except for the dark Cronus look-alike. He was silent and he looked at him like he was something to study – something to figure out. Zeus didn't like the scrutiny so much. But there was no time for foolish thoughts because Cronus was recovering from the emetic he was given. Although he was still gagging, he was strong enough to stand on all fours.

Hades turned towards the fallen titan but not before he made eye contact with Hestia. She nodded and immediately asked Zeus where the safest place was. It was the most logical move in her opinion. She didn't know where she was or how to get out of the room and she was still frightened of the concept of the unknown. Without Hades, she dared not go anywhere alone. What she could do though was ask Zeus to guide them to a relatively safe place.

"The safest place is behind me," Zeus replied with a small smirk of confidence. That was not the answer she wanted. She might as well stay behind Hades' back than this unknown young god if that's the case. So she herded the younger gods to the back of the room furthest away from the dangerous titan. The fact that they were smaller than the titan aided them in finding a hiding place among the large furniture.

Poseidon resisted Hestia's course of action and ran beside his elder brother. If Hades would fight the large titan then he would definitely aid him and not cower behind him. He may know how to comb a woman's hair and all that but he was definitely a man. And his definition of masculinity was Hades. Where Hades goes, he goes too. And so he would also protect his sisters just like his brother.

When Hades saw Poseidon racing towards him, he immediately made fierce eye contact with Hera in silent command for her to stay behind. She was also about to imitate Poseidon as well (she absolutely refused to be bested by him) but Hades knew she was not strong enough and too delicate for fighting. Hera can win a verbal spar any day but a fist fight? This was just another matter of pride for her and he would not let any amount of pride to endanger any of his siblings. Really, teenagers were very hard to deal with.

Zeus felt good standing before his two brothers. They were falling in ranks much easier than he thought. Mother Gaea may be right in saying that he needed the aid of his siblings but that can only be accomplished if he were still the leader. It is only right. What do these ignorant brothers of him know of war? They were just imprisoned in Cronus since birth and thus knew nothing but darkness while he on the other hand was trained by Gaea herself to fight against Cronus. It was only natural that he'd be the leader. And just as he was about to order 'charge', another titan appeared behind them.

This titan looked older than Cronus and towered over all of them including the titan king. His skin was covered in something blue, shining, and in perpetual motion. His white hair also moved in waves down to the ground only to pool at his feet. Had they known what a waterfall looked like, then that word described his hair. This titan seemed more magnificent than the plain-looking titan king and Zeus immediately recognized him as Oceanus.

"It would not be wise to fight Cronus in your unarmed state Zeus," Oceanus said slowly, shaking his head. "It will only lead to your death and the deaths of your siblings," he pointed to their sisters.

"You traitor!" Cronus gasped as he staggered to get up. "You will be punished for this Oceanus!"

"It is not treachery if I can help you realize your folly, little brother."

Hades was the first to retreat followed by Poseidon and Zeus. "We must lead our sister's to safety," Hades started as they ran to their sister's hiding place. "Do you know of such a place Zeus?"

Zeus perked up. Sure they all recognized the wisdom to Oceanus' words but that doesn't mean that he wasn't disappointed. In fact, he was downright pouting. He wanted to put his training to use and impress his elder brothers and hopefully it would make them realize their inferior places. Maybe the dark god is not so bad after all, Zeus thought then he scoffed and rolled his eyes, "Of course I know of a safe place! Come, follow me."

888

The first course of action, according to Metis of Wisdom and Mother Gaea was to gather allies. The three gods first had to free the Hundred-handed known as Hecatoncheires from inside Gaea. Then they freed the Cyclops Uranus imprisoned in Tartarus. These brethren of the Titans were grateful to the three gods and decided to aid them in war. The Hecatoncheires offered to imprison the Titans in Tartarus and they would be the gatekeepers. The Cyclops, though they were not warriors themselves, they were skilled blacksmiths and created weapons for the three young gods.

"Our gift to you for freeing us will aid your cause against the Titans," the largest and oldest Cyclops said in a low gravelly voice.

"To the eldest, we bestow the Helm of Darkness," he said as he presented an elegantly embellished black helmet with a piece of black porcelain mask that covered the upper half of his face. "The Helm will grant you the power of invisibility – the power to strike the fear of the unknown towards your enemies."

"To the second son, we bestow the Trident," he said giving Poseidon a beautifully adorned three pronged spear carved from an unknown blue stone, which glowed with a soft blue light. "With it, you share the power of Oceanus. The Trident will give you the power to hold the oceans and its entirety under your will."

"To the youngest, we bestow the Thunderbolt," he said giving Zeus a gold light that sparked and moved erratically. "The Thunderbolt is the key of the skies, a powerful weapon. With it, you share the power of Aether. Use it wisely."

Zeus grinned in delight like a child who received an awesome toy – the toy of his dreams. In his mind he laughed in knowing that he had the most powerful weapon. Hades remained expressionless as he surveyed the helm. Poseidon glanced at him and frowned deeply. "How can the power of invisibility help aid us against the war? How can my brother defeat his enemies?" he asked in his brother's stead.

"That is for him alone to discover."

Poseidon was about to argue some more when Hades laid a restraining hand on his shoulder and shook his head. "We are grateful for your gifts, Cyclops."

888

And finally the battle that decided the fate of the Universe and a shift of The Order commenced. Three young gods against six powerful Titans, those were the odds. The gods were outnumbered two to one. The sister goddesses possessed no fighting ability but they lent their support through tending the wounded and providing battle tactics together with Metis. Gaea had long ago washed her hands from the war. The only reason she wanted to help Zeus was to free her from pain. Other than that, the brothers were left with the consequences.

The battle was a hard one. It lasted ten years – ten years of pure distraught and chaos. Every day they would contemplate on new strategies and practice swordsmanship because otherwise they would lose and die. They were not just fighting Cronus. They were fighting the ruler of the Universe itself and his loyal brothers.

None practiced swordplay as hard as Hades. He was given a helm not a sword. He had no offensive capabilities and thus must learn how to fight. He learned how to use two chained blades and practiced with it whenever he was free, which occurred mostly during nighttime. Sometimes during practice, Hades would contemplate about the purpose of the war. He simply could not figure out a legitimate reason to overthrow Cronus from his throne. Besides their personal revenge for being locked inside of him and Gaea's vendetta, there was no other reason for Cronus to be punished. The Upperworld was flourishing under his rule and there was peace and order. Cronus rules his kingdom with an iron fist but at least the world was prosperous. Hades doubted and this directly affected his battles. He simply couldn't punish the Titans in a happy-go-lucky way like Zeus or Poseidon.

And Zeus wasn't anything if not happy. He enjoyed raining thunderbolts from the heavens. He enjoyed making twisters that would blow away the titans in an ambush. He enjoyed grinding the titan's faces on the floor. He thrived in the violence of the war and so did Poseidon. These two teenaged gods wrought utter chaos – no, not the Father Chaos – but disorder and discord and bloodshed. They discovered that the combination of water and thunder was a fatal one and between them, they managed to imprison five out of the six Titans including their father.

One titan though suffered by Hades' hands. It was the third titan to be imprisoned in Tartarus – Crius. It was during the day, when Demeter and Hera were walking in the Upperworld not long after the declaration of war was made. They knew that they should not be without a guardian but they were excited to see the Upperworld and explore its unknown wonders. The flowers fascinated Demeter while the colorful birds and animals delighted Hera. But most of all, they loved watching the laughing humans living a simple, happy and content life.

Little did they know that Crius was also in the area. He found the small defenseless goddesses and struck them hard but they managed to outwit him and run back to their hiding place. Hera and Demeter went back bleeding ichor from their head. Metis immediately tended to their wounds and when Poseidon and Zeus got back from the fight and saw the two goddesses bandaged and asleep, they clamored for vengeance and retribution. But Hades did none of those, in fact he did the opposite. His face became cold and mask-like and his eyes became fierce and hard. He silently grabbed his helm of darkness and slipped into his sisters' room.

He had never seen his sisters bleed. He made sure of that. He made sure that they never cried tears of pain either but even in their fitful sleep, tears kept falling. He wiped away the droplets of water from their eyes and clenched his fist. Now suddenly these titans came along and ruined all that. How dare they raise a hand on his sweet and innocent sisters?

He felt rage he had never felt before and he didn't know what to do with it. Punish them, the thought rang in his mind, whispered by an unknown voice. Yes, he agreed. A punishment fit for the crime.

888

Of the three of them, Hades became the most feared. The titans had realized that one can dodge a thunderbolt or a large surge but you cannot dodge the unseen. Hades became known and feared as the Unseen – like the wind that simply strikes. With his cunning, stealth and mastery of chained blades, he had single-handedly debilitated Crius and cast his wounded body on Zeus' feet. Zeus immediately descended to Tartarus and condemned Crius together with the other Titan prisoners. But Crius remained Hades' only casualty. He preferred to support his younger brothers in the shadows and strike in stealth.

And thus the brutal war ended in the favor of the three gods.

888

"Brothers, as a reward for our valiant efforts, let us divide our father's realm amongst ourselves. I propose we draw straws and whoever draws the longest straw receives the heavens and the shortest straw, the underworld," Zeus proclaimed. All three nodded in silent agreement.

Traditionally, as the eldest, Hades should have the largest share of the realms because it was his birthright. But Zeus had other plans. His desire and ambition to rule the Universe was the first and foremost motivation he had in declaring the war in the first place. He didn't want Hades to stake a claim on the Heavens. Sitting on the Throne of Heaven meant ruling _all. _No. He knew how to rule the world better than Hades ever could.

So Zeus suggested that they drew lots.

Three straws appeared in Zeus' fist and each of the gods drew a straw. Since Zeus knew where the longest straw was, he drew first; Poseidon drew second and Hades last. And as far as myths were concerned, Hades drew the short end of the metaphorical and the literal stick – in this case, straw.

But that was far from reality. In truth the kingdoms they chose, chose them first. They could all see that as the one who held authority over Aether, it was only natural that Zeus be the ruler of the Heavens. The same applies to Poseidon. And of course the Underworld has its own preferences as well. It could be said that their lot was already predetermined whether Zeus cheated or not or otherwise suggested a drawing of lots.

But there was just one big problem: Who shall rule over the mortal realm – the Earth? Who _can _rule over it? None of them were fools; they all new that whoever owns the earth will own the worshippers and therefore will receive more power than their realm alone could ever provide.

"Since I'm already the king of the gods, I shall also preside over the men," Zeus declared with confidence. Truly his ambition knows no bounds.

"I do not agree with that!" Poseidon spat. "Since I am much closer to them, in fact the earth could be considered a mere extension of the ocean, I should rule over them."

"Would you be able to handle the responsibility?" Zeus challenged.

"Would you?"

"Brothers, please," Hades chimed in. Poseidon snapped in attention and Zeus reluctantly followed suit. Why does everyone rely on Hades so much? Zeus thought angrily. Why does he possess so much authority even though I'm the king of the gods? Why do they all listen to him so?

"The earth is the domain of mortals and, as we all know, worship is what drives our continued existence. Whoever can single-handedly possess this domain will amass power beyond our capabilities," Hades reasoned. Zeus was about to offer that he can handle twice the responsibility but he continued, "therefore, I suggest that the mortal realm be free to worship whichever god they so choose. And that means both of you, and the rest of the Deities for that matter, will have equal opportunity to persuade the mortals. However," Hades paused. "Should there be any conflict in worship, it should be discussed in an open council. I do not want to see you both go behind each other's backs, sabotaging each other and stealing worship like a pair of children fighting over a toy. Nor do I want to see a monopoly of worship. Every mortal will be free to worship two or more gods. Is this agreed?"

Both men rolled the contract in their heads and searched for loopholes, but they couldn't find one at the moment. They thought the contract was fair and wise so they all agreed on it. They even swore on the river Styx.

"But who will conduct the open council?" Poseidon asked.

"Zeus will," Hades gestured to their youngest brother, who nodded enthusiastically. "But everyone must be present before a decision can be made, do you agree Zeus?"

Zeus smiled. "Of course!"

And thus the world was divided.


	3. Welcome to The Underworld

The Underworld yawned widely, impatiently, and at the same time gleefully, to accept its new sovereign. Hades descended down to the depths of the earth for the first time. He walked through the cold, damp darkness, passed some wandering shades along the way, to the edge of the large river Styx. The river was very wide and deep and a boat – no, a ship – waded through its dark waters. The ship was big enough to carry an army of Spartans, built for bulk transport. But of course it would be highly inefficient to have a small two man boat to carry a lot of souls since humans die every day.

Besides the ship approaching, another figure sprinted towards him. It was the silhouette of a woman clothed in a star-studded black mist, larger than any titan he had ever seen yet strangely the closer she got, the smaller she appeared. When she reached him, she was just a little larger than him.

"Aidoneus!" she said in what Hades recognized as Nyx's voice as she tackled him to the floor and proceeded to smother him in a tight embrace. "Oh child how I longed to hold you like this for the longest time!"

Nyx wasn't content with just hugging Hades with her arms. She had to wrap her large, black star-studded wings around the god. At first Hades was petrified, his reflexes warning him to attack the woman yet at the same time his heart repulsed such an idea. It's the after effects of a prolonged warlike state of mind, Hades concluded. There was absolutely no danger in being suffocated by this goddess.

Just as his face was beginning to turn blue, Nyx let him go and pulled him to his feet. "Come, Erebus!" she called. "Come and greet our son who has at last come home."

"Son?" Hades repeated.

"Why of course, child, what else would you be? Erebus and I had been watching over you and teaching you while you were imprisoned in your father so it is only natural that we look at you as our child." Nyx resumed holding Hades in a more relaxed embrace, an embrace which reminded him of the days when he was young and all alone in the comfortable darkness. Well more importantly, at least he could breathe this time. "We've watched you grow up to become a responsible and dedicated young man. Not to mention, very strong and very handsome."

"Your mother wouldn't stop cheering for you as you fought those titans," Erebus, a dark skinned, dark haired, dark eyed, dark clothed… dark everything (as fitting of the god of darkness), appeared beside Nyx. "If I didn't stop her, she would have fought right beside you," then he mumbled quietly to himself, "not that her participation would help."

"I'm sorry," Hades bowed his head apologetically when he at last placed a face on the two disembodied voices that accompanied his childhood. "I did not recognize you at first."

"Oh that is quite alright," Nyx said finally letting him go but still held him at arm's length. "I have never shown myself to you because you were stuck in such a cramped space that the most I can do was send you my voice. I am the goddess of night after all. I couldn't fit inside my nephew Cronus; same with Erebus. We could only send our presence from afar, child."

"My love why don't we show our son to his new kingdom?" Erebus interrupted.

"Oh that is just glorious," Nyx clapped. "Aren't you excited? I made sure my daughters assigned you as the king of the Underworld. I shiver at the thought of either Zeus or Poseidon getting their hands on the largest and most powerful of the three realms. Come, we must show you to your new home." Nyx rambled as she towed Hades around the Underworld.

"Where we are right now is called Erebus, the upper layer of the Underworld," Nyx looked lovingly at her husband. Even after all this time, the first married couple of Creation was still deeply in love with each other. When they became married, Night and Darkness became one and inseparable. "This is my husband's layer in the Underworld. Here you will find that most of the souls just sit back and enjoy the afterlife wandering aimlessly. And below him is our brother Tartarus, where you and your siblings imprisoned the titans. I must say, those Hecatoncheires are doing a wonderful job as prison guards dear. Tartarus had a glad day handing them his favorite whips and chains."

"That is your castle," Erebus pointed to the massive and grand structure in the middle of the Underworld. "The Underworld had been taking notes of your preferences during the last ten years and built that place to suit your tastes. I hope you find it to your liking. It even made sure your palace is five times grander than the castle on Mount Olympus. Since you now hold all the colorful stones and metals of the earth, it is only right to reflect that status. That is the gift of the Underworld to its new king."

"Isn't it wonderful dear?" Nyx sighed dreamily. "You are getting more special treatment than I ever had when I was a ruler."

Hades nodded. He was grateful but at the same time speechless. When he first came down, he didn't know what kind of reception he would receive. He was very surprised to be given gifts the moment he set foot in the Underworld but he also figured that the main reason the palace can be five times larger than the one in Mount Olympus was because the Underworld had an infinitely bigger land than the peak of the tallest mountain.

"Did you know the Underworld never had a ruler?" Nyx continued. "You would be its first and only ruler. Do keep in mind that it has been waiting for you almost like a lover for a long time – since the time of Creation I believe."

"Your first task, as its ruler, is to provide order and structure here. There is a lot to be done here in this most neglected realm but those two are the top priorities. And from there, you will figure out what needs to be done," Erebus said sternly. Hades remembered the austere voice during lectures when Erebus would teach him about the world in general. He even adapted this tone of voice when he was instructing his siblings.

Nyx and Erebus used dreams as a mode of communication too when they wanted to show him things that cannot be put into words but strangely even in dreams, they never showed their faces. Could it be that they may be too powerful for the King of Dreams to channel in his psyche perhaps? He shook his head. Order and structure, he thought as he tried to internalize all the new information he was receiving and file them accordingly in his mind.

"I want you to meet my other children," Nyx said excitedly before gracefully pulling Hades forcefully again. "Hypnos! Thanatos!"

Two figures appeared in front of them. They looked young in their human form but Hades knew, could feel, that they were infinitely older than him, just like the two primordial beings beside him.

"This is my son Hypnos, the god of sleep," Nyx said pointing to a serene young man. He had deep blue eyes and curly hair of the same color, clad in pale blue and gold laid chiton. He nodded towards Hades in acknowledgement. Hades immediately recognized the name from the old lullaby.

"And this is my son Thanatos, the god of death," she pointed to the silver haired young man beside Hypnos, who was clad in a black and silver chiton with a pair of pure black wings protruding from his back like Nyx. His eyes, the most striking of his features, were nothing but an unblinking deep black void, no irises, pupils or sclera – just a frightening black. They were eyes the mortals fear the most.

"They are not all of my children, mind you but they are the eldest of my sons," Nyx smiled at Hades. "As residents of the Underworld, they are now your loyal subjects." She walked to her sons and gently caressed both of their cheeks and whispered softly in their ear, "He is now your supreme ruler and you will treat him accordingly. Please pass the message throughout the entire kingdom if you please." Both her sons nodded in understanding.

"Alright!" Nyx suddenly exclaimed as she turned around and clapped her hands. "Now that you've met my eldest of sons, I want you to meet the eldest of my daughters – the sisters of Fates." She grabbed Hades' hand and they were instantly transported away to a typical Greek temple-like structure in the middle of nowhere. They were still in the Underworld at least but the area felt absolutely desolate. Inside the building, three women weaved incessantly.

The three young, identical looking blonde women paused for a couple of seconds to acknowledge their new monarch before working their looms once more. Clotho held a spindle and spun threads from thin air. Lachesis held a staff and measured the threads before passing it onto Atropos who cuts them to size. The three women worked on a single tapestry that contained the intertwining destinies of all creatures. They worked as one, their fingers blurring with sheer speed.

The tapestry itself didn't paint a particular picture. Contrary to popular belief, the Fates did not control everything. All living creatures have free will and these minute changes sometimes offset the whole picture. What they can do is redirect the threads to go to where they are supposed to and if they become too troublesome or too tangled and hopeless then Atropos steps in and brings out the shears.

The threads were color coded according to specie and among them there were these golden, glowing and seemingly endless threads that continued weaving throughout the tapestry – the thread of the gods. These threads were very obvious because they glowed like no other thread.

"They live in these parts of the Underworld because they do not like to be bothered by both gods and mortals alike but I'm sure you will get along with them just fine," Nyx explained softly before turning to her husband. "Oh Erebus, I would so love to continue showing our son everything there is to see in the Underworld but alas, I am needed in the Upperworld. Time flies fast doesn't it? Would you be a dear and show him the rest please?"

Erebus nodded before smiling and pecking his wife's cheek. "Of course, my love." With that, Nyx disappeared in a cloud of dark mist.

"Well," Erebus cleared his throat awkwardly. "Would you like to meet my brother Tartarus?"

Hades wasn't even allowed to answer before he was transported to the gates of Tartarus.

"Tartarus? Are you here?" Erebus called softly and hesitantly and then waited. After two seconds of no reply he immediately said, "Well it seems he's not here so that concludes our tour—"

"Of course I'm here, my dark skinned brother. Where else would I be?" A voice rang from behind them. Both Hades and Erebus jumped in surprise and turned around. They saw a man with flaming hair, wearing a hastily put black laced chiton. He smiled pleasantly at them and Hades nodded towards him politely.

"This better be important. You just interrupted my bath in the river Phlegethon and…oh my Erebus you brought a guest?" Tartarus raised a questioning eyebrow as he noticed Hades for the first time.

"This is our new king, Hades. Though Nyx and I prefer to call him Aidon." Erebus proudly said.

"So this is the famous eldest brother of the Olympians," Tartarus gestured widely at Hades. "The poor thing that got caught between my sibling's insanity," he patted Hades' shoulders and whispered gravely, "I'm sorry for your fate."

"So," Tartarus continued, his mood shifting noticeably, "You must be confused, what with Nyx and Erebus claiming you to be their son and all that. But I heard a lot about you from them though — in fact, they wouldn't shut up about you. I tire of hearing them say, 'Oh dear Aidon is so adorable, oh dear Aidon is so precious, and smart and brave and handsome'," he said clapping his hands and raising the pitch of his voice in an awkward imitation of Nyx. And then he smirked, "So if they are your parents, does that make me your Uncle?"

Hades stared at the god dumbly.

"He claims we're insane but he's clearly much more insane than us," Erebus whispered in Hades' ear. He found it strange that Erebus didn't entirely deny the accusation though.

"I heard that!"

"And Tartarus we do not talk about Aidon…much," Erebus continued indignantly.

"Oh? So you deny telling me that this boy is so adorable you yourself, not Nyx, cursed Rhea and Cronus for not giving birth to him sooner?"

"I –"

"Or that you told me that you check on him every night because you are such a stalker and that you adore him that much?"

"Now I was teach–"

"Or that you and Nyx pestered the Fates to make sure he becomes the ruler of the Underworld?"

"Alright!" Erebus relented and turned to Hades and then without warning, caught him a tight hug. "But I dare you to say that everything I said wasn't true!"

Hades was starting to get scared and overwhelmed.

"Get away from him you doting father!" Tartarus said pulling Erebus away from Hades. "You are humiliating him." Then turning to Hades he said, "Then my 'adorable' nephew, let me give you my version of a tour to my own layer of the Underworld: Tartarus."

888

Hades found himself sandwiched between two strange, possibly insane, primordial beings, silently digesting all the information in his mind. Ever since coming down to the Underworld, he had been bombarded with information left and right. He was in unfamiliar territory with beings from the time of creation itself claiming to be his parents…or uncle, and listening to them orient him about _everything_ in his kingdom just a week after he emerged from the Titan War. Nyx, Erebus and Tartarus were energetic beings that can give his younger siblings in their toddler years a run for their money.

"So these are my maids," Tartarus said pointing to women or at least what Hades assumed were women. It was hard to tell because they didn't look anything like him or his sisters. They had a skeletal frame, leathery wings on their backs, skin not unlike a bat, sharp fangs protruding from their wide mouth, complete with a forked tongue flicking in an out of it. That was their true form form. But as soon as they saw their master, they immediately changed appearance. They took the form of voluptuous humanoids wearing skimpy, tight-fitting leather outfits and held whips that looked like torture devices.

"What are you called again?" Tartarus inquired.

"Erinyes my lord," one of them said with a hiss-like accent.

"There you go, my maids," Tartarus replied cheerfully. "They help me come up with creative punishments for these shades. Your duty as king would be to come up with more cruel and unusual punishments during your free time." He looked somewhere beyond Hades' shoulders and yelled. "Oh yeah, whip them harder honey!" The command was followed by a loud whiplash and a sharp cry of agony. "Ah, the screams never get old!" he laughed maniacally.

"Stop that! You are scaring Aidon!" Erebus said locking Hades once again in a tight embrace this time making sure to cover his ears and eyes with darkness.

"And you need to stop coddling Aidon like he's a child!" Tartarus said crossly, untangling Hades from Erebus' grasp. And then changing his tone and attitude altogether, he said to Hades in a rather sultry voice, "Also, if ever you feel the urge to be a little _bad and naughty_, you can come to me anytime and I'll show you a good time. We'll have some fun playing the punishment game."

Hades froze. He can't remember ever being punished. And what did he mean by 'the urge to be a little bad and naughty'?

"Look at that! I think you just broke him!" Erebus said shielding Hades from Tartarus' line of sight with his body. "If anything happens to Aidon, Nyx will kill me!"

Tartarus burst into obnoxious laughter. "That's funny. She'll what? Send her son Thanatos to kill you? And then where will you end up? In my layer? Thanks but I'd rather not be impregnated with you!"

"That is not you being pregnant with me, that would be more like me raping y—" Erebus remarked rather innocently. But he did not get to finish his sentence before Hades fainted. Three words: Too Much Information.

"Hypnos! What did you do?" Erebus said frantically shaking Hades' shoulders while Tartarus clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

"But I didn't do anything," Hypnos replied, materializing beside the three gods.

"Ha! I didn't break him after all. You did!" Tartarus declared triumphantly. And then, much like Erebus, continued rather innocently, "And what's so wrong about punishing the shades in my domain anyway?"


	4. Fixing The Underworld

Hades felt a gentle hand caressing his hair and heard a gentle hum of his favorite lullaby while he floated on a soft cloud of comfort. He slowly cracked his eyes open and a star-filled night sky filled his vision.

"Aidon?" Nyx's soft voice whispered. "Are you alright now?" Belatedly, he realized he was staring at Nyx's dress and the cloud of comfort he thought he was lying in was just a very, _very _soft and large bed in the middle of a massive chamber. He slowly sat up and looked around. The last thing he could remember was Tartarus' maniacal face as he proudly showcased all the torture methods he came up with.

His eyes wandered around and took in every detail of his room –from the alabaster pillars to the gold inlaid white marble floor –all tinted purple by a rather large, beautifully cut, Narcissus shaped amethyst ceiling. A golden chandelier coming from the middle of the flower softly illuminated the whole room. All the furniture was wrought from gold and silver and decorated with gems. Everything was to his liking…just a thousand times more opulent than he imagined.

He turned to Nyx and nodded. "Yes I'm alright." _At least I think I am_, he thought as he remembered the last part of the tour. Hopefully Nyx didn't send Erebus to Tartarus…

"Are you sure? Are you really sure my idiotic brothers did not do anything to you?"

He nodded again. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Oh you poor dear. I'm so sorry I did not recognize your exhaustion at all. How inconsiderate of me. Well, let me make it up to you," she gently pulled Hades back down, setting his head on her lap, and continued caressing his hair. "Sleep, love, and let my song melt your weariness away."

He awkwardly succumbed to Nyx's ministrations until she sang the first word.

_Come don't say a word now,  
__Come don't make a sound now.  
Take my hand and close your eyes,  
Let your spirit soar._

The familiarity of the song brought forth nostalgic memories of childhood. He instantly relaxed and became more serene. The song was so sweet and comforting, his eyelids started to droop.

_I will send Hypnos  
__To bring you deep slumber  
I will send Morpheus  
To give you good dreams._

_So come closer child,  
__Fall into my embrace.  
Forget about the weary days  
And let your spirit soar._

With the help of Hypnos, he slept for three days straight – the most sleep he had gotten for a long time.

888

"Lord Hades," Thanatos said as he piled down mountains of densely rolled papyrus on top of Hades' study desk, on the floor, on all the furniture…basically every square inch of free space of his newly acquired private study room. It even overflowed into the hallways and into the next rooms.

"These are the lists of all the souls I collected that have been neglected since the time of creation until now. They are currently divided into two. One pile contains all the souls Tartarus selected and the rest are Erebus'. Somehow when a new soul arrives, it became tradition to see if Tartarus would pick the soul. There is no formal standard of choosing. He simply chooses souls with the characteristics of an 'M'."

"What is 'M'?"

"He coined it. He calls them masochists or souls who could appreciate pain, not that I understand such a concept. And the souls that look like an 'S' or sadists – people who like inflicting pain – are thrown into Erebus. He says that sadists are boring. To summarize, he chooses souls according to whim and – because of his status as a primordial being – we let him."

Hades gulped and dreaded the answer to his next question as he stared into the staggering amount of papyrus that quite literally filled his entire vision. "And what am I to do with these shades?" he asked a bit breathlessly.

"You are to judge them and sort them out of course." Thanatos said in a cool voice. It seemed as if a lot of work was demanded from him by the Underworld that it had become rather confusing. He fell silent for a moment as he thought about it before he came up with an idea.

"Hold on. Before I do anything, I would like to gather all the deities of the Underworld and hold a meeting."

Thanatos raised a skeptical eyebrow before saying, "Of course, My Lord. I will gather them all and hold the meeting in the judgment room if that is all right with you".

"Will the judgment room fit them all?"

"Yes My Lord."

"Very well. How soon can they all be gathered?"

"Tonight My Lord, as soon as Lady Nyx returns from her Upperworld duties." Thanatos turned to leave to fulfill his latest assignment.

"Wait Thanatos!" Hades exclaimed.

Thanatos looked back and waited patiently for Hades' next words.

"…where is the judgment room?"

888

Hades silently paced around the dais of his judgment throne, a _very _large and, like the rest of his palace, expensive-looking centerpiece of the entire room. One reason he was pacing was because he could not bear to sit on his throne in front of the old gods of the Underworld. He was more comfortable to have them swivel their eyes back and forth than to have them look up at him and then stare at them from a high place.

The second reason he was pacing was because he did not know what to say. He asked for a meeting but he had never conducted one before. He wanted to know where his duty in the Underworld lied exactly and they were the only ones who could give that at the moment. Finally he stood still and faced the gods. "What does the Underworld mean to you?" he asked. Out of all the deities present in his enormous judgment hall, he preferred to make eye contact with Nyx, Erebus and Tartarus.

"A place to punish shades!" Tartarus cheered. That was a good start.

"A place to _shelter_ the shades," Erebus was quick to counter.

"A place to provide solace for the dead?" Hypnos put in.

"A place for the dead," Nyx summarized.

"My home," Styx said tersely.

"Our sanctuary," the Fates replied in their three in one voice.

Hades listened patiently and asked questions when appropriate. He was very pleased that the deities were willing to cooperate with him. He wanted to learn the inner workings of the Underworld from the gods and goddesses who have lived in it since the beginning for they already have the knowledge of its system and its flaws – things he can change and improve upon. He was open to suggestions and solutions and kindly asked Thanatos to take notes. From that day on, Thanatos had the second job of being Hades' secretary and right hand man. Hades also surveyed for problems that the deities encountered but did not have a solution for. For those, he would have to come up with ideas of his own.

The meeting lasted for a long time with some of the gods coming and leaving to attend to their duties. Even Thanatos had to leave at times, and that was when he enlisted the help of Hecate who, from that day on, became Hades' left hand man.

"Thank you for your honest answers," Hades said, finally concluding the meeting. "Because of your cooperation, I now have a firmer grasp of your expectations of me and my duties as your king. I sincerely hope that together we can make the Underworld a haven for all shades and deities alike."

Nyx, Erebus and Tartarus, the forefront of the crowd and the three most prominent gods of the Underworld, knelt in front of Hades simultaneously, which created a wave of submission throughout the throng of deities.

"We recognize Hades Aidoneus, receiver of many, as the one and only King of the Underworld, master of its realm and all who live in it. We pledge our loyalties to you," the three primordial beings said at the same time, a phrase echoed by all the gods and goddesses of the Underworld.

For a second, Hades was flustered but he immediately regained composure and stood tall, erect and elegant – as someone befitting his station. "I humbly accept your oath," Hades smiled.

888

There was tons of work to be done. First he had to reconstruct the whole Underworld. From what he learned, he had to create a standard to measure the deeds of the souls with. But after that, they must be sorted and relocated to a place fitting of their deeds.

He created the Asphodel plains, a neutral area in the Underworld that will allow the shades the opportunity of rebirth that will decide if they are to be placed in either Tartarus or the Elysium field. Then of course he had to create the Elysium field – a paradise for the souls who led a morally righteous life – but he had no concept of what a _mortal_ paradise looked like. He grew up in darkness and darkness was his sanctuary and paradise and clearly that is not what paradise was to mortals. So he left the interior design to the deities who frequent the Upperworld. The centerpiece of the fields was the never ending 'daylight'. It was actually a star from Nyx's dress brightened a thousand times by her daughter Hemera, the goddess of day. They also enlisted the help of Mother Gaea to provide plant life in the fields – plants that would be self-sufficient and fruitful. The shades in Elysium would regain a sense of life and will be able to eat and be merry while not being completely alive. They were also given the option of rebirth. It is not mandatory like the shades of Asphodel plains. If a soul achieves going to Elysium twice, they receive the highest reward in the Underworld – a place in its most sacred lands: the isle of the blessed.

That was just fixing Erebus.

Tartarus did not need modifications so much as order. According to him, all souls received the same harsh punishment and Hades thought it should not be so. So Hades created partitions in Tartarus with punishments and sentences directly related to the crime of the shade. During the meeting, when he asked the deities what they considered morally righteous, they replied that the only one who knows the answer was himself. He learned from them that he was also the god of Justice and thus equipped with the sense of universal right and wrong. And so he made a list of acts he considers righteous and heinous and passed the first law of the Netherworld.

Constructing a place for the shades and making a law was the _easy _part. Hades took a deep breath and prepared himself for the most arduous part of being the king of the Underworld – judging souls. He then ordered that _all _the shades in the Underworld were to be gathered in the Asphodel plains and let Tartarus' grandson Cerberus guard the exit so that no shade can escape.

Judging a soul was not a fast process. Thanatos or Hecate would stand by his side, reciting the names of the souls from the rolls of papyrus, and then burned the finished rolls of judged souls. He would open his mind and the life of the soul would play in his mind, from birth until death, from a third party point of view. If an event was pertinent enough to directly affect judgment (such as murder), this would be played from the point of view of the soul to see the thought process behind it.

At first the task was exhausting, as one would expect from reliving lives of the dead, but he never complained nor did he sleep and it was obvious to anyone that their king was determined to plough through the mass of souls…or paperwork. He judged a hundred souls a day in the beginning but it gradually increased to a rate of a thousand a day as he discovered ways to become more efficient yet remain accurate in his judgment. But even then the process took centuries of nonstop work.

A/N: I would like to thank my beta theMarauders1979 for collaborating with me in this chapter!


	5. Leuce

Finally, after a really long time – time measured in god years – Hades had caught up with the backlog of souls. The task had been brutal to the king and even Tartarus said his devotion to his duty could only be some form of obsessive self-torture (from that day on, some souls in Tartarus were condemned to correct endless paperwork filled with atrocious grammar mistakes and were called editors). Dead souls could not go anywhere without his permission, so technically he could take all the time he wanted to judge them, but he was determined to finish the task for the sake of giving the souls peace as soon as possible. The Underworld was a shelter for the dead and so he was glad that all the parchment rolls have been burned and now he was left with judging the souls that have died since his rule.

He judged each soul conscientiously and fairly without a moment of reprieve from the endless work, a feat only a god could manage. And _finally_ the day arrived: a five minute total vacancy. For exactly five minutes, the throne room would be completely devoid, empty, and desolate – one cannot emphasize that point enough – until a new soul was fetched.

The whole of the Underworld heaved a collective sigh along with its king. He exhaled a deep, heavy sigh that seemed to echo from the core of his being that sounded tired, relieved, and glad all at the same time. At last, the extreme rate of one soul a minute without rest was over (until the next time the gods decided on a boredom breaker).

"My lord, may I suggest you take a change of scenery and visit the Upperworld?" Thanatos said smilingly. He was immensely proud of the young monarch to the point where he was willing to delay fetching the next soul for five more minutes...or possibly even more.

Hades leaned back on his throne and smiled in return. His duty had left him estranged from his siblings and their children. He visited them during special occasions such as weddings, but these were time constrained visits that made him look like he was forced to be there when the reality was far from the truth. But now that his schedule permitted more breathing time, he was more than willing to make it up to them. "Yes, I believe I'll do that."

888

Light. The bright light of Helios' chariot painfully flashed his eyes. _Idiot_, he cursed himself as he quickly wiped the water from his eyes and pressed the palms of his hand to them. In his long absence, he had forgotten what the Upperworld was actually like. He should have made preparations before actually going to the Upperworld instead of blindly rushing through the portal, as he had in his excitement. Blind he will be after this folly.

"Hello Hades," Helios playfully greeted. "You look as pale as the shades in your domain, like a ghost that rose from the grave. It has been a long time since I've last graced you with my light."

Hades nodded but kept his head bowed to shield his eyes from the harsh rays of the sun. _It's been a long time since I've last graced you with my awesome presence._ He could swear that for a moment, it had been Tartarus speaking through Helios and that made him grin. After a few minutes of getting used to the Upperworld, he gradually let himself relax and breathe the crisp sweet air. The sun was warm, different from the dankness of Erebus or the hot punishing furnace of Tartarus. He let himself fall back to the soft grass. He felt so tired, exhausted even. Now that he was away from work, he could almost sleep and never wake for at _least_ a mortal year.

And silence. Complete and absolute silence prevailed in his surroundings. Not a bird chirped, not a spring babbled, not even the wind whistled as if the nymphs of nature purposely stopped and took a detour around him.

He dozed for about an hour before a slight rustling of leaves disturbed his peaceful vacation. He peeked towards the noise and saw a young mortal female staring at him. They stared at each other, transfixed for a full minute before Hades broke eye contact.

"My lord," Thanatos' disembodied voice said that seemed to be everywhere at once. "There is a slow death rate today. You are able to delay the judgment of shades until tomorrow." (The man Thanatos delayed fetching ended up having the longest heart attack in history. A shame it was never recorded)

Hades nodded in understanding and sighed again, reveling in Helios' warmth. For a while, he completely forgot the strange woman's presence. But the persistent woman inched near, sat about ten feet away and stared at him. Hades continued ignoring her but he had spent five minutes under intense scrutiny; Hades began to run out of patience.

"What is it?" he demanded as he looked fiercely at the sky.

"I'm sorry. I thought you didn't mind my presence. You…you are fascinating, that's all," she stuttered. "Your hair, eyes and clothes, they are all…black."

Hades didn't reply but instead waited for her to come to a point.

"You look different…like me."

He finally turned his head and examined the woman carefully. "How are you different?"

"I am white. My skin is as pale as ash and my hair is too. Even my eyes are not blue like the sky but blue like ice. My name is even Leuce."

"Leuce is not such a terrible name. My name…" he thought, searching his memories for other names that the mortals called him, one that would not scare his new companion away. "My name is Pluton."

"Wealth, huh?" Leuce smiled. "That's very close to the name of the god whose name cannot be spoken. What brings you in these parts of the woods?"

Hades took a deep relaxing breath and resumed looking up. "Nothing in particular."

"I'm here because my village doesn't tolerate my presence well; they think the gods cursed me. So I prefer to hide in this forest during the day. Pluton, what is your village like?"

"I don't live in a village."

"That's wonderful! If you didn't live in a village then the other people wouldn't tease you for not having golden hair like Apollo." she said with no ill intent. "Your parents must have been thorough."

Hades didn't know why but talking to her seemed nice at the moment. He wanted to talk with her some more and decided to divulge a little bit of himself. He shook his head and, while still gazing intensely at the sky, said, "Our parents left us when we were young and I ended up rearing my four younger siblings. My youngest brother grew separately from us, hidden away by my mother before my father killed her."

She cringed.

"He reunited with us much later and now he lives with my younger siblings. But because of certain duties I had to leave them all, so I didn't get to know my youngest brother much. Actually I was going to visit them but...," he blushed. "I forgot and fell asleep here."

She curled her hands tightly on her lap. "I'm sorry about your parents," she started timidly. "I shouldn't have brought them up."

"There is no way you could have known that. But as depressing as the story might sound, I never actually knew my birth parents so I have no attachment to them. I grew up knowing a lively couple and a very…strange uncle." There was a hint of questioning when he said the last word. Even after all these centuries, Hades still had a hard time reconciling the word Uncle with someone like Tartarus, but he insisted on being the uncle as much as Nyx and Erebus insisted on being parents.

"You sound like you miss your siblings. Tell me more about them," she smiled.

"Well I have three sisters and two brothers. The eldest sister, the one after me, was my second in command. Both of us would help each other guide the younger ones. And then I have my proud and feisty second sister who would always get into fights with her twin brother. Her twin is mostly respectable but not quite responsible and even a little reckless and playful at times. Then I have my youngest sister who is very sweet, innocent and childlike. Our youngest is someone I have not had the opportunity to get to know really well as I said. But from the little interaction we had before we parted, I could tell that he likes getting what he wants, when he wants, how he wants it."

"He sounds childish," she remarked, again with no ill intent.

He laughed hard. Zeus, the king of the gods, does have a certain selfish childishness about him. "You could say that."

Hades had totally forgotten to visit his siblings that day.

888

They became fast friends and they promised to meet with each other daily on the same place and same time. When night in the Underworld falls, which was when Nyx returns from her duties, Hades climbs to the Upperworld and meets with her. They would share stories of how their days went by. But when he told her his stories, he would tell them in such a way where he can be both truthful and remain at a level she can grasp. In other words, he told his stories in mortal terms. With this, he was able to hide his godly identity from her.

Other than stories, Leuce had invited him to go to small bodies of water in the forest. She taught him how to swim and how to ride waterfalls and play in the waves. She loves to swim very much and she shared that passion with him.

When they were not swimming, they would go on long walks in the vast forest and stealthily observe the nymphs. Leuce, having never seen a nymph before, was quite excited to see them. This way, Hades was able to show her his world even if it was just a part of it.

The residents of the Underworld observed slight changes in their king's behavior. There was a slight bounce in his steps before and after his visits to the Upperworld. There was a small, ever present smile in his lips when he judged souls. He would laugh quietly when he thought no one was looking. He would daydream often. He had a hard time deciding which clothes he would wear to go to the Upperworld. He would make sure he looked impeccable, properly groomed and handsome before he journeyed up. And sometimes he would go up bearing gifts of jewelry.

"Goodness, where is Aidon?" Nyx said to herself as she wandered around the palace halls. "I haven't seen him around for a long time."

"Mother," Thanatos greeted from behind her. "He has been frequenting the Upperworld for many moons now. Do you need him for something?"

"Is that so? I have been missing him terribly, that's all dear. Must he visit his siblings this often?" Thanatos chuckled. Nyx's eyes widened upon hearing the foreign sound. "Oh my, have I been missing a lot lately?"

"He has not visited his siblings yet mother. He's above world for someone else – a woman."

"Oh my goodness," Nyx gasped. "Are you implying…?"

Thanatos nodded smilingly. Nyx squealed and jumped excitedly. "A queen! A queen is coming to the Underworld!"

"Mother, do calm down. He desires to keep it a secret from us all until he is ready to tell. We must act like we do not know and watch over him from a distance."

"Oh my, a secret. I got it. It's a secret. It's a secret," Nyx chanted to herself. "How utterly adorable. I must tell Erebus."

"Mother!" Thanatos tried to call her back but she had already skipped happily towards her husband. Nyx was not good at keeping secrets at all. Well, the residents of the Underworld had their assumptions but it was obvious that Hades was happy and that was all that mattered for them.

888

One day, Hades and Leuce were sitting with their backs against each other on a meadow filled with flowers. They were talking about inane things and singing the songs of the wind nymphs.

"You are singing out of tune Pluton!" Leuce laughed as she tossed a flower on Hades' head.

"I never claimed to be a good singer!" he answered lackadaisically and leaned back on her.

"Get off me! You're heavy," she replied, playfully pushing him back in vain.

"I don't want to," he laughed. It has been so long since he had so much fun with another person but it seems happiness was just as transient as peace.

A third person made his presence known. Hermes, messenger of the gods, intruded in their little conversation.

"Lord Hades, Ruler of the Underworld," the god announced his presence with Hades' title. He immediately stood up and adapted a formal business-like expression before responding to the intrusive god with an affirmative.

"Who is it there speaking?" Hades asked and then his expression changed into shock when he realized too late that he was conducting godly business in the presence of a mortal companion. But he quickly regained his composure.

"I am Hermes, messenger of the gods. And I have with me a message from Lord Zeus, the king of Olympus: You are being summoned to attend the meeting of the gods held in Mount Olympus this coming full moon. That is all. We hope to see you attend." And with that, the messenger god disappeared as quickly as he came.

When Hades turned to look at his companion, Leuce immediately fell to her knees respectfully and dared not look at the god in the eye. "I apologize, Lord Hades. I did not realize to whom I was speaking to. I have conversed with you and treated you as if you were my equal."

Hades felt his heart fall. It was as if in doing so, Leuce had simply cut off ties with him. He wanted to reach out to her and tell her to stop treating him so formally but he decided against it. He shouldn't have befriended a mortal in the first place. They were too different after all.

"Please rise, Leuce," he said resuming his formal tones, one he used with the majority of his subjects in the Underworld. "I was pleased to be your acquaintance."

_Past tense_, she thought bitterly. She didn't reply but instead sobbed quietly. It was too unfair. She simply learned something new about Pluton…no, Hades by accident but apparently it was a secret he was determined to keep from her. And now that she knows, only their status had differed drastically, but Hades was already saying goodbye. Did their status matter that much?

Hades thought that she was sobbing because the fear all mortals instinctively possess where he was concerned now applied to his friend as well. That wouldn't do. He must not burden her with his unwelcomed presence any longer.

He turned around and was about to leave for the Underworld when he felt a slight tug on his gown. Leuce looked up with sorrowful tears rolling down her cheeks, "Wait….Do– does this mean… we can no longer be…friendly with each other still?"

Taken aback, Hades knelt to her level and cradled her face in his hands. "What do you mean?"

"You," she hiccupped. "You are the first person to talk with me as if I were a normal human. I do not wish – even if you are the god of the Underworld – for you to take that away…" she cried harder.

Hades covered his face and laughed at himself. How awful of him to make her cry like this. "It doesn't bother you that I'm a god? The god of the Underworld for that matter?"

"No, Pluton," she whispered softly. "I mean Hades."

"Aidon," he looked at her and wiped her tears with the pad of his thumb. "Call me Aidon."

She smiled gratefully, "Aidon!"

"Oh Leuce," Hades whispered. "If you continue to act like this I don't think I can still be friends with you."

A look of extreme mixture of shock, disbelief, betrayal, but mostly hurt flashed across her face. _What had she done wrong now_? She thought. Hades smiled at her and drove her concerns away when he continued, "I think I want to be something more than a friend to you."

He pulled her into their first kiss.


	6. Meetings

The Underworld was the brightest it had ever been. The torches were brighter than usual and the people closest to the king had noticed the subtle change in lighting. '_Something good must have happened. The throne room must be receptive of the king's mood,'_ Thanatos thought as he led the shades away from the judgment hall like a shepherd. It was interesting how the realm reacted to the emotional state of its master. But 'something good' turned out to be an underestimation when Hades descended in the Underworld laughing, twirling, and skipping with careless abandon like a wind nymph.

"I have found her," Hades declared loudly as he burst into his judgment throne. All the gods closest to Hades had already gathered in the hall when they first heard his boisterous laugh echo throughout the caves of Erebus. It was highly abnormal and unusual for their extremely level-headed king to come home acting intoxicated. Naturally they were very curious. And then there was the fact that he was smiling so happily the other deities found it contagious. Even Thanatos, whose facial muscles never seem to work, was smiling at his king's antics.

"Who have you found dear?" Nyx asked smilingly. Hades turned to her and wrapped her in a hug before twirling her around. "Oh goodness, Aidon!"

Thanatos and Hypnos descended into a small laughing fit masked as a coughing fit. Their mother looked so flustered.

"I have found my future queen!" Hades replied giddily.

Nyx squealed loudly while she grabbed Hades' hands and jumped around. She then ran to her husband shouting, "Erebus! Erebus! Did you hear?! Did you hear him?! A future queen he said!"

"Yes I heard my love," Erebus replied as he placed a restraining hand on his excited wife's shoulders.

Hecate frowned. "Who is this goddess?"

"She is no goddess. She is mortal."

Tartarus gasped in an exaggerated joking manner. "How very naughty, Aidon. I didn't know mortals were your type."

"Oh Aidon, I'm happy for you," Nyx said embracing Hades once more. "I simply must meet her."

"Will you turn her immortal?" Thanatos asked worriedly. "I do not think you would want me to fetch her."

Hades nodded. "I will turn her immortal during our wedding ceremony."

"Wedding?" Hecate and Nyx exclaimed at the same time but their tone of voice were extreme opposites. No one noticed because Nyx's voice was louder.

"Our little Aidon works fast huh?" Tartarus nudged Erebus. "Even you weren't this fast with Nyx."

"When is the wedding my lord?" Hypnos asked curiously.

"Oh," Hades paused, calming down a bit. "I don't know."

"You haven't decided yet?" Hecate asked, a little bit of hope underlying her tones.

"…I haven't even asked her yet," Hades said shyly. Hecate and Erebus breathed a sigh of relief. '_So he's not that fast after all,'_ Erebus thought. "But I'm sure she'll be my queen."

"I want to meet her soon," Nyx said.

"Would you like to meet her this full moon?"

888

Even though the sun has already set, the Olympian palace was untouched by darkness. Everything was glittering and glowing. The hall of the gods was especially bright, like the sun itself was hanging from the ceiling. Zeus and Hera's thrones sat side by side on the grand dais, separated from the younger ones. The younger gods sat on smaller thrones in a semicircular fashion beside the two main thrones. In front of the chairs was a long semicircular table filled with nectar, ambrosia and other scrumptious foods for the gods.

Poseidon, Demeter and Hestia, being the older of the gods sat beside the king and queen but there was always a throne beside them that remained empty – a throne for the king of the Underworld. None of the younger gods had seen the dark king before. They have heard stories of him during the Titanomachy and his chivalrous although frightening way of fighting. Other than the stories, they had no idea what their uncle was like.

"Are we all present and accounted for?" Zeus' booming voice rang throughout his throne room as soon as he took his seat.

"The Lord of the Underworld is not here as usual," Hermes answered. "But I was able to invite him in person unlike the other times."

"You saw him?!" Hestia exclaimed with a giddy look on her face as she stood up, slamming her hands on the table in the process. Her mirth was so tangible that the younger Olympians, who had never seen the Underworld god before, became curious.

"Yes. I heard from Thanatos that he has at last finished the backlog of souls," Hermes shivered when he uttered the name of the god of death.

"Finally!" Hera sighed. "He's only been working on that pile of shades like a mad man for centuries."

"Remember when he said he could only attend your wedding for ten minutes because of that?" Demeter laughed. Her face suddenly turned cold and her voice lowered as she did a quite accurate impression of their older brother, "Hera, Zeus, congratulations but I can only remain here for nine minutes and forty-five seconds before I must return to the Underworld."

"He did that?" Apollo asked incredulously.

The four original Olympians laughed. "Don't remind me," Hera chuckled.

"You are lucky he even attended your wedding," Poseidon laughed heartily. "Whenever I visit him, I couldn't even make him stand up from his throne! I wouldn't be surprised if he actually grew roots on it. I have wanted to pull a prank on him to get him up just for old time's sake but I changed my mind."

"You mean you didn't have a prank in mind," Hera smirked.

"You are really glutton for punishment aren't you? Don't you remember the last time you pranked him and what happened?" Hestia said waving her finger.

"What kind of prank did they do?" Athena asked. All the young Olympians were all ears. This was a new story. They never knew that the original Olympians had a childhood let alone pranked each other.

"Poseidon—"Hestia started.

"I dyed his hair as pink as Hera's aura while he was sleeping!" Poseidon proudly intercepted. Hera's aura was not as pink as Aphrodite but it was quite pink. They all burst into laughter. "And then Hera, who hates to lose, decided to write scribbles on his face with dirt."

"He woke up really grumpy," Demeter mused. "Screaming in fact."

"And what happened?" Artemis asked. This was the most exciting meeting she had ever been to. Why couldn't all meetings start with laughter like this?

"Punishment of course," Hestia smiled. "They each got spanked."

Hera was hiding her blushing face behind her hands now and Poseidon coughed indignantly. The young Olympians tried to imagine a pink haired silhouette with scribbles on his face spanking the young queen of the gods and king of the oceans. They couldn't imagine such a thing.

"But they didn't learn their lesson," Demeter started. "When Hades asked Poseidon to change his hair back to normal he dyed his hair blue."

Some of the young Olympians fell on the floor laughing. "And then what happened?" Hermes asked this time when he caught his breath.

"He tied Poseidon up and let me have free reign over him and his things," Hera blurted out.

"Ah!" Poseidon exclaimed as he hit his forehead with his palm.

"What did you do mother?" Ares asked in between bouts of laughter.

"I turned all of Poseidon's clothes into female clothes and I cut his hair."

"Don't you dare imagine me in female clothing!" Poseidon warned the laughing children.

"I'm curious son," Zeus said calmly to Hermes, clearly not exuding the same enthusiasm as his siblings about the topic. "Where exactly was he when you saw him?"

Zeus couldn't relate. He grew up alone and survived on his own. He didn't have fond memories of childhood. Everything in his childhood was about preparing himself to be a warrior strong enough to defeat his father. He didn't have any disciplinarian other than Fate herself. He was jealous of his siblings that even though they were imprisoned in Cronus, they were able to make memories that they could look back and laugh upon. He didn't like talking about Hades anymore.

"When I went to the Underworld to give him the message, I met Thanatos as usual. But he said that Lord Hades was in the Upperworld and that is where I found him."

"Helios, were you able to see him?" Hestia asked the Sun god.

"He's been going to the Upperworld every morning for many moons now. And to answer your unasked question, he is very well goddess of the hearth." Helios smiled. "He's been enjoying his well-deserved break."

Eros smiled knowingly.

"What? He's been in the Upperworld but he didn't even visit any of us?" Hestia's jaw dropped.

"Maybe he doesn't remember you anymore?" Zeus smirked.

Hera glared at her husband. "You do not know what you are talking about Zeus."

"Mother, our last guest will now be arriving soon," Hebe the cupbearer said. As soon as she spoke, the door to the throne room burst open as the king of the Underworld strode inside. So _that's the king of the Underworld,_ the young gods and goddesses thought. They then snickered behind his back as they imagined him with pink hair and scribbles on face.

"Brother!" Hestia exclaimed before running to him with open arms. Hades quietly returned the hug before she continued angrily, "Why didn't you visit any of us?"

He threw her a subtle apologetic look that only those who knew him well could pick up.

"Well, we'll forgive you this time," Demeter said lightly before opening her arms to her brother. "But you should visit us more often now that your greatest excuse for a long time is gone."

"I'm sorry Demeter," Hades started when he returned the hug. "I may have finished the backlog but even now, I only have thirty minutes and fifty-two seconds to spare."

Hera approached her two embracing siblings, patiently waiting to get her turn to hug. "Well that's certainly an improvement from ten minutes." When she held Hades though, all the young Olympians turned to their father to see how he'd react. Zeus only had a whimsical smile carved on his face. Wasn't he supposed to be angry?

"Why are you in such a hurry?" Poseidon said pulling Hades in his own chummy squeeze.

"I have a meeting with Nyx after this." Hades said smilingly.

Zeus clicked his tongue before rising from his throne. "Always the busiest of us all," he said before grasping Hades' arm in a more formal greeting. The difference in greeting was noted by most of the Olympians present in the room. "Before we start though, you should meet all the new gods and goddesses."

888

Five minutes through the introduction of the young deities, it was already apparent on his face that Hades did not approve of Zeus' philandering ways. Hera couldn't even look Hades in the eye afterwards. She felt ashamed for Zeus, her relationship with Zeus, and ashamed that she couldn't correct such errant behavior.

If Zeus were a mortal, Hades would have sent him to Tartarus, but unfortunately gods play by different rules. Yet because Hera manifested the same feelings of a slighted mortal, Hades had to do something to alleviate it.

"Zeus, Hera, may I talk to you in private?" Hades said in his severe tone as Zeus introduced Artemis and Apollo, his children by Leto. Hera, Poseidon and Demeter stiffened as Hades' tone opened a floodgate of memories. That was his special voice he used when he wanted to discuss something serious that could end up in punishment.

Hera nodded and led both men, one with a confused expression and the other with a blank one, to a more private area. Hestia and Hades, just like before, exchanged a look before he disappeared.

"Alright!" Hestia exclaimed and gathered the attention of the young and old deities. It was almost instinctive of her to take the steering wheel and make sure that the absence of Zeus did not cause chaos. "While they do that, what issues are we supposed to be talking about today?"

888

"The last time I saw you, you were getting married. How is your marriage going?" Hades started. When he was a child, he had already known he should listen to all sides of the story before he could make a judgment. He reinforced this even more as the supreme ruler of the Underworld. When he judged souls, he looked at the soul's point of view as well as the points of view of the people involved with the soul. Because of this ability, he had lived the lives of each and every soul he judged and had gained more experience than any god. His wisdom and insight could rival Athena's.

"It's fine and frankly, it's none of your business," Zeus said.

"That is right," Hera affirmed. She knew she was lying but she wanted to deny her failing relationship with Zeus from Hades or…herself for as long as possible. She wanted to at least pretend she was happy in front of her older brother.

"It doesn't look that way to me. As your brother, I am concerned for both of your welfare."

"When did a blood bond ever mean anything to gods?" Zeus sneered.

"Perhaps, perhaps to some it doesn't," Hades conceded. "But to me it does. Hera, why do you look so sad?"

"I understand your sentiments brother but you see even with your intervention, nothing will change. Absolutely nothing," Hera said through gritted teeth. "You know absolutely nothing!"

"Hera…"

"Stop it! You may have been our disciplinarian once upon a time but we're not children anymore Hades! Please brother," Hera begged. "We're fine. We're absolutely fine."

Zeus looked at Hera dumbfounded. What was she saying? Why was she begging? Where was her pride as Queen of the gods? What exactly were they talking about?

"What is this really about?" Zeus looked at Hades suspiciously. Was he trying to steal Hera away from him? "What are you really trying to do?"

"This is about you and Hera," Hades said glaring at the younger god. "I had noticed that Hera was unhappy as you were introducing your children from different women to me. And I felt like I should intervene."

"So what does it mean if I have children with different women?" Zeus said. "I am the King of the gods. I should be able to do what I want to. Besides, Hera knows that I may go to other women but I always come back to her. Isn't that proof that I love her? It's just that I appreciate a little variety from time to time. Hera, please don't misunderstand – I really do love you. You know that right?"

"Bastard," Hades whispered angrily. "I did not raise Hera just for you to make her cry!" he materialized his chained blades in his hands.

Zeus immediately took on a defensive fighting stance, a thunderbolt charging in his fist.

Hera at once composed herself and assumed a detached regal pose. She stood in between the two gods and hugged Hades, willing him to calm down and diffuse the situation. Then she said in the most emotionless voice Hades ever heard, "It is quite alright brother. You do not need to get involved. I have my own ways of dealing with these things, so let us forget that this meeting ever happened. Thank you though." Hera kissed Hades' cheek.

Hades nodded in understanding and put his blades away. She had closed herself from him and usually when they were children, if that happens, she would seek Hestia's council. So Hestia it is then.

Zeus watched their interaction and kept his thunderbolt away. He had an ominous feeling as he watched his wife kiss another man's cheek, brother or not. When did blood relationship ever mean anything to the gods?

"Well then," Hera started after a moment of awkward silence. "Shall we return to the meeting?"

888

The meeting took a bit of time. Most of the topics discussed were about the distribution of worshippers. Since Hades didn't have any worshippers or any need for them to exist in general, he simply listened to the meeting with half an ear, his thoughts drifting to Leuce. He would say a few pertinent words here and there but he mostly kept to himself. The simple thought of Leuce lightened his heart from Hera's issues and brought a small smile on his face. Eros' eyes sparkled in delight whenever he smiled.

Of course the fact that he daydreamed didn't go unnoticed by four Olympians. It was so unusual for him to just smile randomly, even though it was so small it could be considered a twitch of his lip to those ignorant of him.

Suddenly a large presence appeared in the room. The goddess of night elegantly entered the hall unannounced, which surprised all of the deities in the room including Hades.

"Aidoneus," Nyx said in her rarely used formal tone. "You have delayed our meeting for seven minutes and twenty-three seconds. I have grown impatient and decided to fetch you."

Hades stood up from his seat and nodded towards Nyx before addressing Zeus and the other deities. "I'm sorry to cut my presence short but I am needed elsewhere. I hope you do not mind my absence."

"Not at all," Zeus said pleasantly. "You are dismissed."

"Thank you," Hades said before turning around.

When he was gone, Demeter remarked, "So that's where he got his sense of time from."


	7. Meet the In-laws

The two gods jumped from the palace of Olympus like a pair of dark meteors and swooped down to the forest where Leuce and Hades usually met. _The forest looks different at night,_ Hades mused as he walked through the place fondly. There were a lot of memories contained in the small place in such a short amount of time. Mortals have such little time to live that they make each moment as memorable as possible. Leuce's vitality, her optimistic outlook on life despite the slight shadows tainting her eyes, her moods that are as ever-undulating as the waves she loves to play in, her smiling face and peals of laughter, her beauty – everything was so precious to him.

_So this is how it feels to fall in love,_ he thought as he placed a hand over his pounding heart. _Why do they describe it as falling when the feeling is like flying?_

"Quickly Aidon, show her to me!" Nyx demanded impatiently. She was even subtly stomping her foot. "I'm so excited! I'm going to be a mother-in-law!" She sang while clapping like a child with a new toy.

"Oh her house should be here somewhere," Hades said navigating through the edges of the small village immediately outside the forest. "I'm not quite sure which house it is though. We always meet in the forest."

Nyx gasped. "A lover's tryst in the forest! Aidon you are positively romantic. My brother Eros must be so proud!"

Hades blushed but didn't answer.

"What sort of girl is she like? Is she pretty? Is that why you love her? Oh my!" Nyx started. "I forgot to ask. Have you already done _that_?"

"What 'that'?"

"You know…this and that."

"Do you mean intercourse?" Hades asked with a blank look.

"Oh how can you say that with a straight face?" Nyx slapped his shoulder playfully. "Does this mean you have already done it?" She was being extra energetic this evening. For some reason, her questions would not stop flowing.

"No mother," Hades said. "As you've said before, that is only done by wedded couples…we've only gone as far as kissing," he said, whispering the last part. He was beginning to feel a little awkward and flustered in admitting his romantic side to someone he considered a mother. And her attitude was not helping at all. It wasn't like he was the first one to have a romantic intere—

_No, I am the only one among her multitude of children who has a romantic interest._ His eyes widened with the epiphany. But he couldn't decide if being the apple of her eye was a good thing or not._Are overexcited mothers dangerous?_ He stole a glance at the hyperactive deity beside him before subtly taking a step further away from her just to be sure.

Nyx squealed. "Oh it's so good to be young. Quickly Aidon, give me grandchildren!"

He paused and chuckled, "Aren't I more like your great-grandson by mortal standards?"

"Oh don't be silly. You may be Gaea's grandson but you are my son."

"But you are Gaea's elder sister…"

"Where does Leuce live again?" Nyx said forcefully changing the subject. She loved her grandfather Kronos, the god of Time, and she valued time very much and taught all her children to value time too. But she did not like to admit that she was old or that she was the eldest of the primordial gods. It's part of the complexities of being a woman.

Right then a drunken man walked past them whispering 'Nefeli' over and over, his voice gradually becoming hoarser, louder and angrier. The man eventually ran towards a small, well lit house built on the outskirts of the village. The house seemed out of place and isolated from the rest. It should look lonely or gloomy, but the warm light inside casted a cozy feel around the building. And yet this man walked right up to the door and pounded angrily on it, screaming and calling someone named Nefeli again and again like a madman. The gods followed and watched the scene out of curiosity from a distance.

"These mortals seem very…noisy, aren't they Aidon?" Nyx said nervously. The goddess of the Night has never seen a mortal up close (a living one anyway). Even if she roamed around the mortal realm, she wouldn't see much because night is when the mortals sleep. In addition, her activities were done far up in the Upper air with Selene and her new apprentice Artemis that she did not necessarily pay attention to the mortals in the first place. Not to mention that she was always preoccupied by her loving husband during her duties. After all, ever since their marriage, Night and Darkness were inseparable.

Hades didn't reply but instead placed a finger on his lips, a nonverbal request to be quiet. He was just as baffled as her that they were still there instead of looking for Leuce's abode.

A beaten, bruised and trembling woman hesitantly opened the door of the house. The man barged in and pushed the woman inside in a rough manner before slamming the door close.

Summoning and putting on his cap of invisibility, Hades approached the premises cautiously. He had seen this scene played a million times in the memories of some of the shades he sent to Tartarus. But this was the first time he saw this in person. And for some reason, he was drawn to the scene. Something was calling him from inside the house. He motioned for Nyx to stay put in her place behind the bushes before he activated the helm. With his back against the wall, he took a peek through the window.

"Where is she woman?" The man screamed as he slapped the battered woman to the ground. "Where did you hide that ugly thing you call daughter?!"

"I don't know!" The woman screamed in her defense. "Leave her alone!"

"Is that so? Come out, Leuce," the man called in a frighteningly sweet tone, unlike his earlier raging one. He encircled one of his arms around the woman's neck and started choking her. "Come out or your mother gets it."

Hades was shocked to say the least when he heard Leuce's name. Leuce lives here. In this dangerous household, she lives here. He tried to rush inside through the window but something held him back. Something was stopping him from taking another step further.

"No father, don't!" Leuce screamed, finally coming out from the hidden door beneath the floor. She pulled hard on her father's clothes and jerked him away from her mother.

"Leuce!" Her mother wailed and coughed at the same time. "Why did you come out? You can't!"

"It doesn't matter woman! Give her to me. My misery ends now!" Leuce's father demanded as he produced a knife that was fastened in the belt of his chiton. Her mother instantly crawled towards her daughter and shielded her from her father's wrath with her body. She was willing to take the blade and die for her daughter.

The man raised his knife to strike at the women and yet Hades was still frozen on the windowsill. What in Tartarus was holding him back?!

It was when Leuce whispered his name in fear and silent prayer for help that he found the will to move against the heavy resistance. He immediately grabbed the man's poised arm and expertly knocked the blade from his grasp, then he roughly casted the man on the floor with a dull thud. When he was satisfied that the women were no longer in immediate danger, he dematerialized his helm.

"Who…who are you?" The inebriated man asked when he realized there was a fourth person in the room.

Hades didn't answer but instead helped the cowering women up. Leuce, who instantly realized who her rescuer was, wrapped him in a desperate embrace. She trembled as relief washed over her soul and calmed her. Hades, her lover, was here and she was safe.

"Are you alright?" Hades whispered in her hair as he rubbed her back comfortingly. She nodded in silence.

"I demanded who you are, bastard!" The man screamed before clutching his chest. His face contorted in pain as his heart throbbed erratically within him. After a few painful gasps, Leuce's father collapsed on the floor, dead.

"No mortal can call my king names and live to tell the tale," Thanatos' disembodied voice hissed angrily, heard only by the god king.

"Oh thank the gods, Leuce!" Her mother exclaimed as she pulled Leuce from Hades and wrapped her in her own tight embrace. "I was so worried," She said and then addressing the dark king, "Thank you young man. You saved us."

"Mother this man, this man is my lover," Leuce tried to explain. "We've known each other for many moons now but I just couldn't find the chance to tell you."

"What is your name young man?" Leuce's mother asked. Oh she knew that her daughter had a suitor. Where else did she get that pretty jewelry from? But she didn't say anything because her daughter seemed intent on keeping that a secret. Instead she eyed Hades like a vulture, her gaze piercing and cold, borne from her learned distrust in men.

Hades was about to reply when Nyx's voice called from outside, "Oh Aidon! Can I come in now? Can I meet her now?"

"Who is that?" Leuce's mother asked nervously.

"That is my…mother," Hades replied hesitantly. "Can she come in?"

"Of course!" Leuce replied instantly. Nyx, having been given the permission to enter, immediately barged into the household. She searched the quaint little house, looked at the corpse with distaste, and locked eyes with both women for a few brief seconds each before looking expectantly at Aidoneus.

Hades cleared his throat and said in a solemn voice, "This is my…mother, Nyx."

Leuce's eyes went wide as saucers. She knew her lover was the god of the Underworld so it wouldn't be surprising if she was now before the presence of one of the most ancient gods in existence. She immediately fell flat on the ground in reverence to the great goddess. Why won't the floor swallow her up some more just so that she won't be on the same level as the goddess' sandals?

Nyx laid her warm and gentle hands on Leuce's shoulders before pulling her up. "Oh, beautiful child, are you the one who captured my dear Aidon's heart?"

Leuce found it hard to make her tongue work again. She opened and closed her mouth multiple times before she shook her head as if to bring herself to her senses. "O-on the c-contrary My Lady, he had captured my heart first…" she stuttered shyly completely avoiding eye contact with the ancient goddess for as long as possible. One does not simply look at a goddess' eyes. One is even unworthy to look at a goddess' toenails, so she concentrated her gaze on the wooden floorboards.

"Hold on," Leuce's mother said. She was utterly confused. Why did her daughter prostrate herself on the ground so? Were they high ranking nobles? Well that wouldn't be surprising considering the gifts her daughter had been receiving. "Leuce please introduce them to me."

Leuce gasped. Oh what bad manners she had. "Um, mother, I would like for you to meet the man who is the love of my life," She blushed as she admitted the fact and looked at Hades with a shy smile. He smiled back at her. "Lord Hades Aidoneus, god of the Underworld and his mother, Great Lady Nyx, goddess of Night. Lord Hades and Lady Nyx, meet my mother Nefeli."

"Ha-ha-had…"was all Nefeli could utter before she fainted. The reaction was half expected and entirely reasonable.

"Hypnos! What have you done?" Nyx exclaimed daintily as she poked the fallen woman with her finger.

"But I didn't do anything!" answered a disembodied voice.

888

While Nyx and Leuce talked and tended to the unconscious woman in another room, Hades judged Leuce's father right there and then and let Thanatos carry his body and soul away from his presence. The god of death enthusiastically (well as enthusiastic as death could be) dragged the dead mortal to Tartarus.

Hades then approached the room where all the women were. Soft laughter and snickers could be heard from behind the closed door. Hades gently rapped on the door and when permitted, entered the room.

"Oh Aidon!" Nyx grinned. "I love her. Would you be a dear and tell Thanatos to call Erebus here? I believe I felt my son come here twice."

"Wouldn't Erebus see her soon anyway?"

"Well…I still want him to see my lovely soon-to-be daughter in law."

Leuce started and the most incredulous expression washed her face. She was what now? Nyx's daughter-in-law? Was that even possible? What? How? Her mind could not seem to grasp the ridiculous concept.

Hades cast a disapproving look at Nyx before pulling Leuce away from the goddess and carried her outside of the house. When they were a good distance away from the house, back in the forest, to the place where they first met, Hades stopped and gently set her down.

"Leuce, I love you," Hades said, cupping her face with his hands. He had lost count on how often he uttered those three words since their first kiss, but he meant it every time. And he would say it to her all the time when she took her place as his wife. "Would you want to be the Queen of the Underworld and become my wife?"

He held his breath as he waited for her answer. For the first time in a long time, he felt nervous. Would she say yes? Or would she reject him? If she rejected him, what would he do? The five seconds of silence before Leuce began regaining her ability to speak again were the most heart stopping five seconds of his life.

"Yes," She said breathlessly. "Yes," Leuce repeated with much more conviction and laughed with joy before sealing her answer with a kiss.

They were perfectly happy.

But happiness is transient.


	8. Pull the Trigger

Nefeli woke up groaning. Someone was wiping her forehead with a wet cloth. _Leuce_? She opened her eyes and saw someone else. A dark haired woman was humming a lullaby while she tended to her. She stared at her nurse. There was something about this woman that she was forgetting. . .

"…_the love of my life, Lord Hades Aidoneus, god of the Underworld and his mother, Great Lady Nyx, goddess of the Night…"_

She blinked multiple times. Surely she was dreaming. Probably hit by her husband a little too hard on the head. There was no possible way that the Great goddess of the Night was right beside her and nursing her.

"Why do you stare at me so mortal?" Nyx said gently.

Nefeli opened her mouth in a silent horror. She raised her hand and slapped herself hard, maybe then the dream would end.

"Oh dear, why would you do that?" Nyx asked admonishingly. "Do you like pain?"

She shook her head dumbly. Then, as if coming to her senses, she jumped off the bed she hadn't known she was lying on and immediately prostrated herself in front of the goddess quite like what her daughter has done.

"Oh great goddess, why do you show yourself to a lowly mortal such as I? Forgive me for I do not understand your intentions. In my ignorance, have I offended you?"

"Oh please, do raise your head. I am not a worshipped goddess. You need not prostrate yourself to me so. I am here to see your daughter."

Nefeli raised her head and met eyes with the beautiful smiling goddess. "My daughter?"

"Yes. If possible, we'd like to take her with us."

"Is it because she's a nymph?" Nefeli said with tears clouding her eyes.

"Oh my, she's a nymph?" Nyx exclaimed and clapped. This was a pleasant surprise. "Are you quite sure?" She then continued in a solemn tone, "Do not lie to me mortal."

Nefeli shook her head vigorously. "I am not lying, great goddess. She is a nymph of Oceanus that I raised."

"How fortunate!" Nyx jumped. "I shall tell this to Aidon at once!"

888

Nyx found the two lovers entwined in a heated embrace, sharing a passionate kiss under the shadow of a tree. Hades was gripping (or crushing would be the better term) the said tree behind Leuce in an effort to control himself. The urge to take her right then and there was very strong but he fought against it. Unlike the other gods of Olympus, Hades believes in the sanctity of marriage. His image of an ideal married couple was none other than Nyx and Erebus – faithful, loyal, bound, inseparable through all eternity. And that is what they would be after he turned Leuce immortal.

They were so preoccupied with each other that they didn't notice the night goddess at all. Nyx cleared her throat and the two separated from each other briskly as if they were burned, like how a couple of young lovers would if a parent suddenly barged into their intimate moment.

"Aidon, I'm really sorry for interrupting but," Nyx started, looking at everywhere but them. She felt bad at intruding their precious moment but it couldn't be helped. She had something important to impart. "Nefeli, I believe her name was, informed me that Leuce here is a nymph daughter of Oceanus." She shifted her eyes back at the pair, "I think now would be the right time to ask for permission to marry her from both her mother and father."

Instead of bursting into action like Nyx expected, Hades and Leuce stood dumbfounded and stared at each other as they processed the new information: Leuce was not mortal. She already was immortal. How the Fates smiled at them so.

"Well?" Nyx snapped her fingers impatiently as if to wake them up from their self-imposed trance. "What are you waiting for?"

A new light shone through their eyes. Everything seemed perfect, like they were meant to be together. Hades carried Leuce in his arms like a new bride without a word before disappearing in a cloud of dark mist. He first transported to the mortal Nefeli. What can a mortal woman say when the God of the Underworld politely asks for permission to marry her daughter? At first she feared that if she rejected she would go to Tartarus, but the smile on Leuce's face changed her mind. If Leuce would be happy then she could give her daughter to the god with a light heart.

Then they transported to the nearest seashore. He simply announced his intention to the sea, not really caring what Oceanus' reply was, before he retreated to the shadows to open the gates to the Underworld.

"Hold on, Aidon," Leuce said. "Can I…can I ask you something?"

"Anything," Hades replied matter-of-factly.

"Can I, may I have two more weeks on earth?" She asked shyly.

"Why?" Hades raised a questioning eyebrow.

"It's my father. Even though he wasn't really my real father, and even though he hurt us, I would still like to mourn for his death. And my mother, I would like to console her some more. I was all she had and losing me would give her incredible grief. If…if I could alleviate some of that grief by preparing her heart somehow… Please understand. I love my parents despite their flaws," Leuce explained.

"Your heart, my love, is as wide as the ocean and skies combined," Hades kissed her forehead tenderly. "I understand. I shall prepare your throne while you're gone. Two weeks it is then." He transported them back in front of Leuce's little house through the same black mist. They shared a kiss before they went their separate ways.

888

Hades' announcement was heard by Oceanus, who agreed to let the responsible and righteous brother of his King Poseidon take his daughter. But he wasn't the only one who heard the proposal. A sea nymph heard his declaration and word spread around like wild fire. Soon the sea was full of gossip about the Underworld king marrying one of their sisters. Word inevitably reached Poseidon's ears.

"What?!" Poseidon exclaimed in disbelief. "Brother is getting married?"

"Yes My Lord," the humanoid dolphin-god Delphin, Poseidon's right hand, replied. "It's all the lazy nymphs talk about."

"When?" Poseidon demanded, shaking the dolphin's shoulders.

"In about a week and a half, My Lord," Delphin dizzily managed to say. Poseidon quickly let him go and paced around the room. He couldn't believe it. Only recently Hades has been in the Upperworld and now he's getting married?! It's so unfair. His brothers were all Casanovas! What was he doing, staying under the sea and remaining a bachelor? Maybe he should go look for a queen too…but first things first.

"I have to tell all of Mount Olympus!" Poseidon muttered to himself as he walked away to hitch his fastest horses to his chariot. He hastened to Mount Olympus and barged inside the Hall of the Gods where all the Olympians rested after a day's work (well…their definition of work), announcing the new wonderful news. But then he noticed that everyone was in a solemn mood. Hera and Zeus had fought and argued once again it seems. It wasn't terribly out of the ordinary but the other gods felt a little bad for their queen just the same. Hera had locked herself in her room and sealed her doors so no one could enter her chambers while she cried her heart out. A heart that bled so painfully for the man she loved yet treated her so…insignificantly.

Zeus himself grieved alone in the mortal realm. He wandered around aimlessly as he tried to distract himself from thoughts of Hera. He'd give her time to cool down and then everything would be alright once more. And yet he felt angry. What is so wrong about a god being indulgent and succumbing to debauchery once in a while? It was in his nature and within his rights as a god king. He wasn't wrong. It was Hera who should fix her point of view. She should control her heart and stop feeling hurt already. He certainly wasn't going to go against his nature to please her. On the contrary, everything exists for his pleasure alone.

888

Thunder rumbled in the dark grey sky. Leuce looked at the heavens anxiously. She was in the middle of the forest when she noticed the change in the clouds. She had wanted to pick some narcissus flowers for her father's empty grave as a final farewell, but it seemed that a thunderstorm was on its way. Clutching the few flowers she managed to pick, the woman hurried through the greenery and headed towards home.

However she was passing through a clearing where a handsome golden haired man stood solemnly. He heard her loud ruckus and met eyes with her. His eyes were angry, sad and tired all at the same time, like a soldier who lost a war. Without tearing his gaze from her, he reached for her invitingly, beckoning her to come closer.

Something overcame her body then as she approached the man against her will. Before she knew it, her feet had brought her before him. He gingerly took her outstretched hand and kissed it tenderly. Then his eyes darkened as he pulled her forcefully towards him and began to caress and undress her. She wanted to fight back, scream, and claw his eyes out as indignant rage filled her. But she found her body was limp and uncooperative. What was happening? Her eyes widened in fear as the man leaned down and kissed her without her consent.

What was happening? Confused and terrified, she lay paralyzed beneath the man grunting like a pig above her. She couldn't move as if she were trapped by some form of magic. She had wanted to scream for help, to scream for Hades' name but even then, something stole her voice and clamped her mouth shut.

What happened? Tears fell freely from the corners of her eyes as she was left on the forest floor, naked and in pain. The golden haired demon had simply left her broken after using her so horribly.

What happened? She clutched her arms around her to hide her nakedness and vulnerability and _screamed_.

888

Hera screamed. So soon after she _pleaded_ for Zeus to stop his womanizing ways, he goes find another woman to create a bastard with.

She saw everything! What did that woman have that she did not possess? What?! Was she incompetent? Is she not woman enough to satisfy his sexual urges? She felt like her heart was being put through all sorts of torture. A sudden heaviness in her chest made it too difficult to breathe. She gasped for air like woman drowning as she broke down on the floor. It was so painful. Her heart was beating so painfully. Why did he want to hurt her like this? How come the Fates were so cruel to her? Why couldn't they give her a faithful husband? Was she being punished?

Hera wailed harder. How come she was the only one crying? Was her love for Zeus not enough? Or did he not really love her? Her tears rolled down her face as rain fell from the heavens in the mortal realm.

Her throat turned hoarse as her heart struggled to beat against the pain in her chest. The pain turned into rage, hatred and bitterness and consumed her like a curse. Her heart was bleeding now, but it would heal and a thick scar would cover it. It would not be long until her heart was no more but a collection of scars. When her heart becomes thick, hard, callous, and dead, she will no longer care about Zeus' women but until that day comes, she will exact her revenge.

Hera sent a poisonous serpent to bite the naked woman in the forest.

888

Thanatos looked at the snake bitten woman in horror. Her expressionless shade rose from her body, waiting for the dark wings of death to embrace her and bring her to the realm of the Underworld. Dread filled Thanatos' whole being as he trembled and held his supposedly future queen. He opened the portal to the Underworld, bringing her body and soul to the world down below.

The whole Underworld was never this boisterous. They anticipated the arrival of their future queen in three days and made sure the realm was in a celebratory mood. Hades wouldn't stop ordering everything to be perfect. He recruited young Hephaestus' service and paid him a handsome amount to create Leuce's throne. He redecorated the whole palace to include a theme of some of her favorites be it color, flower, or animal. He even constructed a large pool which she could play in whenever she wanted. He also ordered a whole wardrobe and jewelry of the latest fashion that would adorn her perfectly and yet kept her tastes in mind.

But his greatest achievement was the reconstruction of the Elysium fields. Before meeting Leuce, he never had an inkling of what paradise looked like. But then he met her, who taught him and showed him what paradise looked and felt like. What pure bliss and peace felt like.

His smile would never leave his face. He imagined the day he would sweep her off her feet and bring her to his kingdom. He would show her the Elysium fields first and hopefully she would grace him with one of her adorable smiles. He imagined how she would fit among his chthonian family. Nyx and Erebus would receive her warmly for sure and hopefully the others would too, especially Tartarus. With a queen by his side, the Underworld would feel much brighter than before. Leuce would be the light of his realm.

His heart was filled with indescribable joy and anticipation.

Three days more.


	9. Tempest

Leuce's shade slowly walked a few paces in front of Thanatos, who carried her body in his arms reverently. When they reached the dock of the bottomless black river Styx, the two waited for Charon's ship in silence.

The magnificent boat docked and magically extended its wooden plank ladder. There was only one soul waiting to climb aboard. The god of death did not have the heart to fetch more after he decided to personally escort this certain shade to the judgment throne.

"One obo—," Charon was cut short when he saw the dark winged god behind the woman's shade, carrying her body no less. More alarming than that was the expression on Death's face. The usual stoic blank look that graced Thanatos' face was replaced by a sad, misty-eyed expression.

"Who died?" Charon whispered, staring at the apathetic shade that walked onto the ship's deck. He almost dreaded the answer. The woman's importance must have been equivalent to the end of the world if the emotionless Death was almost crying over the loss.

"…Our Queen."

"Oh no." The boatman stepped back from the shade fearfully. He covered his mouth to muffle a shaky breath. "This cannot be. No. Lord Hades…" Charon would not, _could_ not finish the sentence, imagining the pain their beloved King of the Underworld would face at the news.

Thanatos bowed his head and quietly repeated "Lord Hades." They both dreaded their king's reaction. The consequences were undoubtedly very dire at this point. Charon staggered to the ship's helm and nervously steered the boat to traverse the vast black river. The same boat that was so beautifully decorated and embellished just to receive the very woman that was on board now currently carried her dead body and soul.

When Leuce had disembarked, Thanatos and Charon followed her solemnly. They felt a deep obligation to escort this special shade all the way to Hades, a trek that did nothing but build the anxiety in their hearts. Both of their thoughts raced a mile a minute, but while one was contemplating future events, the other was preoccupied with an endless stream of self-berating thoughts.

If only Death could make an exception…how utterly idiotic, moronic, imbecilic, stupid of him to forget to check when the nymph was fated to die. How he desperately wanted to turn back time and plead the Sisters of Fates to change what was meant to be or at least warn his liege of her impending death. But he couldn't. No. He _didn't._ Death was his only responsibility and his domain. It was his duty to consult with Atropos on who was supposed to die and fetch them accordingly. How could he have missed the death of his Queen? Thanatos felt responsible for this tragedy.

A tragedy. How ironic. Death has always been the cause of most tragedies, but he had never noticed it before until it happened to someone he cared about.

Finally they stood in front of the closed doors of the throne room. Never had the grand opulent doors been so ominous before. Charon opened the double doors and stood by as he watched Leuce's shade march inside behind Thanatos. He bowed as the shade passed him, his last reverence to their queen's soul, his farewell.

The crowd of shades parted and let the god of death through.

"Asphodel," Hades' voice echoed through the room as he pronounced his latest judgment. His dark eyes shifted to the winged god of death and were immediately drawn to the corpse he carried. Thanatos gingerly laid her down before the dais of his throne before he slowly stepped aside and cast her shade in full view.

Hades sat frozen on his throne as he watched the shade for a heartbeat.

It was her.

"My lord, please forgive me," Thanatos fell on his knees, as if imitating a mortal ready to be beheaded by an executioner. But Hades didn't even pay attention, not sparing him a second thought. His eyes were solely fixated on her as he slowly stood up. Something must have been wrong with his eyes. It couldn't be her. Why would her shade be here when she was supposed to be in the Upperworld safe and sound? She shouldn't have been here until he fetched her.

But it was her.

Hades knelt beside her lifeless body and caressed her cold ashen cheeks with shaking hands. Then he looked up to find her apathetic shade staring down at him. He felt a stabbing pain in his heart and for a moment he forgot how to breathe.

It was her. There was no denying it.

He couldn't bear to look at the shade's eyes for much longer and instead looked at her more corporeal form. She looked as if she was sleeping peacefully. A sleep she would never wake from. "Leuce…is it really…?" he uttered, breaking the suffocating silence as he continued to caress her face. "Thanatos, please tell me, is Morpheus playing a cruel trick on me? Tell me that this is merely an illusion. Please."

Thanatos looked up and saw his lord for the first time. He too wished that this wasn't real, but to see his king beg him so despite the proof in front of him pained him on so many levels. "I'm sorry, my lord. It is not an illusion."

Hades froze with his confirmation.

It was her. He couldn't pretend anymore.

"I see. Leuce died," he said with a finality that weighed thick on the air. His face turned blank and business-like when he returned to his throne and spoke with an authoritative voice. "Then I shall now commence her judgment."

Hades viewed her life from birth to the moment of her death. As much as he wanted to remain impassive and detached, his hands curled into a tight, trembling fist as he saw her childhood suffering. Her father had been tormenting her in more ways than one but she struggled to bravely see life positively. Despite her cruel circumstances, she found a reason to smile every day.

His heart broke when he saw her curled beneath the house's cellar during the night, tearfully dreaming of the day when the nightmare of her life would end. For her mother to stop crying and for her father to emerge from the sinful fog he waded in. She thought that she was the cause of their suffering and thought of disappearing permanently from their lives if only to make them happy.

By the time he reached the point of their first meeting, tears started to fall from his eyes, marring his impassive facade. He was the first person she had ever talked to besides her mother and father. He was the first person, other than her mother, to treat her kindly. The first person she could lean on and could not do without. He was her everything, such was the depth of her love for him. She felt happy with him and for the first time she felt real happiness. She felt like she was dreaming a dream she never wanted to wake from.

And cold hard rage filled his heart when he saw exactly how she died.

"Elysium Fields," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Elysium…fields," he recounted his plans of showing her the fields when she became his queen. That he would show her the glory of the fields modeled after her bright existence. And he would show her to the fields even now, though not quite according to his expectations.

"Come," he said to Leuce's shade, extending an inviting hand before he realized it. He immediately clutched his hand and let it fall to his side despondently. "Let me show you to the fields." He wanted to grasp her hand and at least hold her one last time but it was futile. She was a non-corporeal existence, a spirit. Hades turned and proceeded to lead her personally to the fields.

Thanatos and Charon were left frozen in their places together with the other shades awaiting judgment. "It's all my fault!" Thanatos whispered to himself as if by saying so he could shoulder the pain his lord felt. Though his face had returned to its stony expression, his wings reflected his despair as they fell limply on the ground.

Charon approached him and patted his shoulder comfortingly. "It is none of our fault. It just is."

"How cruel my sisters are," he replied before he stood up. "I'll ask them to change it. I do not agree with this at all."

As he turned he came face to face with the Sisters themselves.

"Brother, do not despair. This is his fate," they said in their omniscient, mysteriously blended voices. "For their threads kept spinning."

"Kept intertwining, knotting, and tangling."

"For the silver thread meant to be cut and the gold to pass through fire."

"This is an ordeal he simply must go through."

"An ordeal," Thanatos repeated, looking at direction his lord left. He hoped with all his being that his young sovereign would pass the test of Fate.

888

"This was supposed to be yours. My wedding gift," Hades said to the shade beside him. "A layer of the Underworld dedicated to you."

Leuce, who had already drunk from the waters of Lethe, looked at Hades with a smile but without the spark of recognition in her eyes. "Don't look sad," she said. He humored her and smiled albeit brokenly.

"But now," he continued. "Instead of you owning Elysium, the Elysium owns you."

"I will reincarnate," Leuce replied cheerfully for him.

Hades felt his heart stop. To reincarnate would mean she would leave him. Completely. He wanted to at least see her when he visited Elysium but she would deny him even that. For one selfish moment he thought, _no. Don't leave me._

In that single moment, Leuce's body from the throne room was swallowed in a flash of light and transported to the middle of the Elysium as if it was dragged by the realm itself to its heart, where Hades and Leuce stood. Her shade joined her body and was magnificently transformed into a beautiful white tree. The Underworld had simply responded to his desire by locking her soul firmly in its grasp.

Hades stood beneath the tree, feeling torn and lost. What had he done? He touched the tree, his heart begging for her forgiveness for this one selfishness. He didn't want to say goodbye. It was too soon. They have only barely begun. They were supposed to have days of unending happiness before them that stretched forever. They were supposed to...

There was nothing now. Even with all of his power, he could not change Fate. Her death put an end to so many possibilities. But even with the knowledge of inevitability, he still couldn't accept it. He wouldn't say goodbye.

"I love you," he whispered, letting those three measly words express all the tempestuous emotions in his heart. They bore the pain that was in his very soul.

A white leaf fell from its bough and landed on Hades' hand as if by it Leuce meant to say goodbye.

It was as if she suddenly left him, taking the promise of love with her. Suddenly breathing seemed so hard to do. He ran outside, away from Elysium. The moment he slammed the doors to Paradise behind him, he shook and fell onto his knees. Slamming his fist repeatedly on the floor, Hades screamed until the Underworld shook with his grief, sharing his pain, his suffering. Eros' love dart had turned into poison and started to eat at his very being, changing him into someone unrecognizable. How potent the poison was. He almost wished he never fell in love with her in the first place…_almost_.

Their lord was suffering and his entire realm was at a loss on how to console him. In its grief, the Underworld wept with its master. Unlike the Upperworld where death follows grief, in the Underworld, the mirror of the Upperworld, it created life. Its grief took the form of small, nameless white flowers, as white as Leuce's skin, and populated the Asphodel fields.

Erebus and Nyx were immediately at Hades' side, restraining him, preventing him from hurting himself. They did it as if by physically holding him, it would stop his heart from tearing itself apart. They whispered words of comfort in his ear, telling him that everything would be alright. But he knew better. It wouldn't be alright until those at fault had been called into account.

Zeus and Hera.

His screams gradually stopped. Like an explosion leaving nothing in its wake, his face turned blank, unfeeling, emotionless, and strangely composed**. **It was as if his violent emotional outburst never happened. It was a worrisome turn of events as far as Nyx and Erebus were concerned. And like a deadly arrow nocked and aimed with grim determination, he carelessly brushed the elder deities away and then disappeared in a cloud of dark mist.

It was time to face the perpetrators.


	10. Apologize

It was a typical day in Olympus. The gods and goddesses were relaxing and engaging in idle chatter. Zeus was feeling uneasy, but he managed to hide it under boisterous laughter. He must never appear weak or emotional in front of the others, since he was their king. But despite that, he still felt a bit bothered. One of the reasons was that he really didn't feel like discussing Hades' marriage when his own was in shambles. The other more important reason was because he thought that if he had given Hera time to herself, she would forgive and welcome him with open arms like she usually did.

In the times before when he had another woman, they would fight as expected and then he would tire of the other woman and come back to her bed. They would make love and he would assure her that she was the only one. And then she would forgive him and forget his folly.

But Hera did none of that. In fact she had banned him from their bed. And though she may have been sitting beside him, holding the appearance of a happy wife for all to see, it was forced. She wanted for the world see that she had forgiven him, when she truly had not. Zeus smirked. So she wanted to play a new game.

There was a new rule in this game. Zeus felt that even though Hera was right beside him, she was a thousand miles away. Her heart was distant, cold, and unreachable. Perhaps it was the way she subtly brushed his hand away when he tried to reach for hers or perhaps it was the way she wouldn't look directly in his eyes when addressing him and that bothered him. This was her challenge. He would need to think of new ways to earn her trust back enough to grant him access once again to her bed.

Hera wanted to appear strong, formidable. Her every graceful action clamored to be seen, to show her husband that she was better than any woman he could find, prove to him and most of all, prove to herself that she was better. Maybe then the goddess could believe that Zeus' philandering would not shake their marriage.

_Marriage_, she thought. She was the goddess of Marriage, and therefore must set an example to all the married women in the world. Marriage is something strong and lasting. It would hold on through all the turbulent and difficult events in their long immortal life. Zeus' wandering ways would not always stay that way. She still had hope in her heart that the blissful time when he wooed her, made her feel special, like she was the only woman in the world, would return. She just needed to hold on. Needed to be strong.

Needed to pretend to be strong.

Hera shook her head. This was not the time to be thinking sad thoughts. There was another god within their circle who would take the momentous plunge and forever tie himself to one woman. Her beloved, most respectable older brother was getting married. That was her happy thought. She was immensely happy when Hades had sent wedding invitations to everyone, announcing the official date just a few days after Poseidon's announcement. She would bless his marriage to be forever strong and lasting. He deserved it after all his hard work, and she wanted nothing less for her dear brother. Their marriage would hold through thick or thin, in joy and sorrow, and he and his wife would share that special bond that brought their souls as one.

That bond she felt once upon a time for Zeus, but now seemed to elude her. _But that is alright_, she convinced herself, _we will find it once again._ She looked at Zeus, who was smirking absently beside her. _Our marriage is simply undergoing a hard time, that's all. It will get better_

She turned her attention back at the matter being discussed.

"…also here on Olympus!" exclaimed Hestia. The rest of the younger gods and goddesses nodded.

"Pardon?" Hera raised a questioning eyebrow.

"Is that really necessary?" Zeus said as he leaned back on his throne.

"Why not? Let's face it. We cannot all go down to the Underworld so we should also hold a party here too in his honor," Poseidon shrugged. "I think Hestia's idea is a good one."

"Yes. A party should be held on Mount Olympus!" Apollo cheered. All the younger gods and goddesses did not particularly care if an estranged uncle was getting married. Let the older ones fuss about it. They simply wanted a reason to celebrate, eat, drink, and lie around with nymphs.

"Do you think he'd attend though?" Demeter asked.

"Well, that's a legitimate problem," Hera nodded thoughtfully. "I think we should —"

Suddenly the ground shook – violently. All heads instinctively turned to Poseidon but even he had a perplexed expression as he struggled to stay seated on his throne. It obviously wasn't him that was clear to everyone. The quake was more powerful than anything Poseidon could dish out. It felt as though the very foundations of Mount Olympus were crumbling and the proud mountain would topple over any minute.

But it was short. As sudden as the rumbling came, it stopped quickly, leaving everyone in the room confused and apprehensive. What could have been the cause of such tremors?

Unbeknownst to them, from the very base of the mountain, a dark cloud had begun to climb up its magnificent height. Hades was carelessly pushing his fastest horses to a breakneck speed, leaving a trail of dark smoke behind him. He was determined to see the peak as soon as possible.

He didn't even wait for the steeds to come to a full stop before he took the form of a dark mist and entered the palace.

In the middle of the hall of the gods, a thick black fog began to pool. All the deities stared in wide eyed wonder when an ominous black cloud pillar bubbled from the fog and took the form of none other than the Lord of the Underworld.

He wore his helm of darkness, the black porcelain mask hiding half of his face cast an eerie feel to his appearance. But there was another feeling being emitted by the dark god other than eeriness – rage.

"Hades what a pleasant surprise," Zeus greeted amiably. Except for Zeus, everyone looked at the Underworld god fearfully. They could almost taste the violence in his dark aura with the way it was erratically fluctuating.

"Zeus," Hades started in a distinctly hollow voice. "Did you or did you not force yourself on a woman named Leuce in the forest near a small village?"

"Leuce?" Zeus cocked an eyebrow.

"A woman as white as snow yet…" Hades trailed. _Yet warm as the sun,_ he continued painfully in his heart.

"Oh, her. Yes, I believe I did," Zeus said as he waved his hand dismissively and rolled his eyes. "What of it?" He knew that his arrogant or, as his other siblings wanted to make him out to be, 'righteous' older brother would rant about the immorality of raping a woman when he had a wife like he did before in the last meeting. What was the matter with him anyway? He didn't remember him being this nosy during the Titanomachy but then again Zeus never took the initiative to know him.

But that was beside the point. This was not a private setting like before. If Hades wanted to chide him in front of his subjects then he would have to retaliate. He was a proud king and he would never have anyone acting superior over him. He crossed his arms. This time will be different. This time he would challenge Hades by blatantly defying him.

"Did you or did you not know of my relationship with her when you…_forced_ yourself on her?" Hades struggled to say, choking when he said forced. All present in the room gasped softly. Zeus' eyes widened imperceptibly.

No, he didn't know.

"No," Hades shook his head. "Whether you knew or not doesn't matter. You have transgressed against me. Apologize." He looked up coldly at his youngest brother, his dark eyes piercing behind the mask. The last word was undoubtedly a demand, punctuated by the mist pooling beneath his chiton that had turned into dark flames. Curiously, these flames did not illuminate. Instead they sucked the light from their surroundings. They flickered on the floor spontaneously, creating a small wind around him, which tossed his hair and clothes around angrily.

He was a spectacular sight. The king of darkness, the antithesis to Zeus' bright existence, had his silent rage washing over all the Olympians in waves.

Before anyone could react, Hera ran before her older brother and threw herself on all fours before him. "Forgive me brother!" She wailed. "I was ignorant when I killed her."

The younger Olympians stared in awe as they saw their proud queen cast herself on the ground in front of another god. How…was that even possible? This was Hera they were talking about. She didn't apologize. Ever. In fact, she was downright incapable of apologizing. Their very definition of pride and elegance, their queen, was always right and yet here she was openly admitting to all the children of Olympus that she had made a mistake and was apologizing for it in the most shameful manner

Hades' eyes softened ever so slightly at his sister but he resumed staring hardly at Zeus.

"Brother, apologize," Poseidon whispered frightfully. This was…he had never seen his brother this angry before. Not even when he had played cruel pranks on him when they were children. Usually, the angrier he was, the less expression you would see on his face. But this…the floor was burning!

When Zeus regained his senses, he looked around at the transfixed faces of his family. Even though his image was of being omniscient**, **he didn't know that she was Hades' bride when he raped her. He would have apologized in private, but with all his children watching him, his pride prevented him from doing so. He had a reputation as the king of all gods to maintain. As king, he had to remain glorious, mighty, and like the queen, incapable of doing any wrong. He was justice and law, wise in all his actions! And as such he did _not_ bow to anyone! No, he would not apologize. In fact, the dark king had no right demanding an apology in the first place!

_Look at him lord his presence before me, the highest power,_ Zeus thought. _I should put him in his place._

"Who do you think you are?" he said haughtily. "You have no power over me. You cannot order me around."

"Zeus!" Demeter, Poseidon and Hestia said simultaneously. Hera just trembled. She had predicted Zeus' response but she couldn't predict Hades' response, which she obviously feared more.

"That is right father! He is nothing! You don't have to apologize to someone like him!" Ares sneered in disgust.

"Be quiet God of War. I have half the mind to drag you back with me and make you one of my death dealers _where you belong_," Hades said ominously without tearing his gaze away from Zeus. "She was my bride and my queen-to-be. Acknowledge your wrongdoing and apologize," Hades repeated hardly. His fist was curled so tightly by his side that the knuckles had already turned white and had begun to bleed.

Like a cornered predator with no way out but to attack, Zeus shouted, "I am the king of the gods! I have not done anything wrong nor will I ever do anything wrong!" before gathering lightning in his hand. "You do not dictate what I do!"

To the horror of all the Olympians, Zeus struck Hades square on the chest. Poseidon immediately restrained his brother's arm and Demeter and Hestia ran worriedly to their elder brother while Hera simply got up and backed off.

This was unprecedented.

Despite the open wound in his chest, Hades' face remained controlled. He didn't even wince as he skid a few paces backwards from the force of Zeus' thunder. Copious amounts of ichor spilled on the throne room of Mount Olympus. He calmly wiped the blood trickling from the side of his mouth and looked at it.

Brushing his sister's fussy ministrations aside he said in a blood chilling voice that rang clear throughout the hall, above the chaotic noise created by the deities, "very well." His dark expression could be seen even from behind the mask as clear as day. "You had your chance. Had you apologized, I would have forgiven you for you are my brother. But you have made your choice. And thus your punishment shall not be a light one."

A/N: Review please! I would like to know how I'm doing so far :)


	11. Mother Bear

Hades disappeared from the Olympian court via his helmet and stealthily returned to the Underworld. He didn't want to worry the denizens of his realm, so he thought he could sneak into his room unnoticed. But that was not meant to be. Cerberus had smelled the blood of his lord a long time ago, before Hades could even see the entrance to the Underworld, and began to howl, stomp, bark and generally create a ruckus. But instead of calling attention to his wounded lord, the dog called attention to itself.

Hades was a mess. He staggered, holding himself up against the walls of the entrance to the Underworld, breathing heavily, coughing and leaving a trail of blood behind him. One would think the fire from Zeus' bolt would cauterize the wound but no. The hole in his chest would not stop bleeding. Eventually he became too weak to sustain the power of invisibility.

When Charon saw his lord, he did what any serious, level-headed, loyal servant would in that situation…he screeched. He scrambled towards the king, screaming for help, and the most immediate responders were the Powers of Night and Darkness.

"Aidon!" Nyx, like any mother who had a son come home with a mortal wound, sprang into action and, with her wings, carried him quickly to his room. For the first time in her long, long life, a mortal feeling gripped her heart. She didn't know it was called fear at the time but she was absolutely mortified with these turn of events.

First, her future daughter in law was raped by Zeus, and then killed by Hera, and then, knowing her son like the back of her hand, she was sure Hades went up to confront Zeus only to come down bleeding from what seemed like a thunderbolt wound. She was furious. No. She was beyond furious. In fact there was no word for it…and even _that_ was an understatement.

"Child what happened to you?!" Erebus asked with undisguised horror as he took him from his wife and laid him down on the bed. Nyx immediately tore her husband's himation to strips (she didn't have clothes so much as a thick mist) and wrapped them tightly around Hades' wound. The black cloth was soaked in golden ichor in ten minutes.

"My lord!" Hecate rushed in Hades' bedroom bringing a bottle of tonic with her. She poured it all over the wound and immediately it stopped bleeding, allowing his immortal abilities to take over and close the wound. Hypnos appeared and laid a hand on his liege's brow and Hades immediately went limp as a healing sleep took over. But not before he managed to utter deliriously that Hera was forgiven.

Nyx trembled with contained wrath. "This is Zeus' fault, I know it! He will pay for this and I will see to it! I will castrate him, disembowel him, drag his face all across the five rivers of Hades until he's unrecognizable, heal him, and then turn him over to Tartarus to put him under the bloodiest, most painful tortures he can concoct before I rip him to shreds!" (And this is why she is the mother of Nemesis, the goddess of retribution.)

"My love, please," Erebus whispered, rubbing Nyx's back comfortingly before he continued in a rather menacing voice, "I believe our Aidon must have something for him in mind. A punishment fit for the crime. Do not deny him this right."

"Oh I could just…! Whatever it is I abet it!" Nyx said as she bit her thumb and paced around the room angrily.

"Breathe, my love." Erebus said, following his own advice. He might seem the most level headed at the moment but his thoughts were so gruesome he would have given Tartarus a run for his money...or some ideas. (And this is why he is the father of Sophrosyne, the goddess of restraint.)

"Breathe? Breathe?! My son looked like he was just mangled by a beast and you want me to just breathe?!" She threw her hands up in the air in exasperation. "I want to give Zeus a piece of my mind!" She clenched her jaw and said through gritted teeth, "You know actually, I will!" before she disappeared in a swirl of dark mist.

"Nyx!" Erebus called too late before he sighed. Then turning to Hypnos he said with a slight knowing smirk, "I don't know whether to curse Zeus or…pity him."

Hypnos and Hecate looked at each other for a moment before they smirked back.

"Forget pity. He's completely doomed," They both said at the same time.

888

Back in Olympus, the gods had their own ruckus. The Olympians were divided among those who felt utterly unconcerned, complete with the carefree mentality of another day, another god scorned (mostly applies to the young Olympians), and those who felt that the end of the world was coming.

Though, Zeus felt particularly proud of what he had done. His children were looking at him with renewed awe. How strong and powerful their father was! Even the King of the Underworld ran with his tail between his legs.

"Zeus what have you done?" Poseidon whispered to his king, his countenance pale.

Hera chuckled darkly, "You're going to get it now…we're going to get it now. We're both doomed." She seemed resigned to whatever Fate has in store for her.

"I don't think I will be able to mitigate this. So I'm going to hide for a bit," Hestia said to no one in particular.

"Um… please let me go with you," Demeter pleaded her.

"Why do you fear Hades so, my siblings?" Zeus said lackadaisically. "He's a mere god of the Underworld. He is beneath me. If I wanted, I could flood his domain with one order to Poseidon if I find the slightest hint of insurrection. So what can he do to me?"

Poseidon looked at Zeus disbelievingly. Was this guy insane?

"Fine, be like that! Learn to fear his wrath the hard way!" Hera said as she stormed away from the god towards the exit. She didn't want to be in Zeus' obnoxious presence anymore.

"Hera, wait for us!" Hestia and Demeter shouted before attempting to follow her. Before any of them could exit the chamber though, another angry presence made itself known. They have encountered her in person before, during the meeting of the Olympians when Hades showed himself for the first time after a long time.

"Hello children!" Nyx greeted, seemingly smiling pleasantly.

"What are you doing here Nyx?" Zeus said genuinely perplexed.

"What am I doing here? You don't know? Oh my, aren't you just so adorable Zeus!" Nyx replied her fake smile intensifying.

"Sister?" Eros said from a corner.

"Hello Eros. It's good to see you too." Nyx said not even bothering to look at him but kept her eyes fixated on the god impertinently sitting on his throne even in the presence of a Protogenoi. "I am sorry but I'm not here to see you though brother. I'm here for that golden boy over there."

"G-golden boy?" Zeus stuttered before pointing to himself. "Me?"

"Yes you," Nyx said, her voice starting off with an extra high pitch that gradually darkened by the end of her sentence, "You are just so adorable, I would just love to eviscerate you, strangle you with your entrails, tie you to a weight and drop you in the middle of the river Acheron," she sighed dreamily. "You would be in so much pain. Wouldn't that be just lovely?"

A shiver ran down Zeus' spine.

_You're not the only one_, Hera thought to herself.

"Who are you to speak to my father that way?!" Ares stood up. He couldn't take it anymore. What right does these random gods have, popping out of nowhere and threatening his father?

"You are not qualified to threaten the King of the Gods," Athena seethed as she too stood up with righteous rage.

"Not qualified?" Nyx repeated. "You think so? You. _Really_. Think. So?" The goddess couldn't believe her ears, though she didn't let it show. Zeus had rubbed off on his children, which wasn't a good thing. _Very well. I'll show you just how 'qualified' I am to threaten the 'mighty lord Zeus.'_ Darkness swiftly emanated from the night goddess and enveloped the whole palace. Blue fire replaced the bright warm glow of the torches fastened on the columns of the palace, casting everything in a dark eerie glow. Her voice lowered ominously as she said, "Do you not know, not _understand,_ who I am? I am Nyx, goddess of the Night, daughter of Chaos, the First Queen of the Universe, and a resident of Hades.

"Do you really not know why I'm here? Fine, let me tell spell it out for you _ignorant_ children. Imagine this: My future daughter-in-law was raped and killed, leaving my son completely devastated over losing her to the point where the Underworld shook with the intensity of his grief. But more than grief, he felt betrayed by the very siblings he loved. If you were him, you would have already violently retaliated – regardless of blood relations. But what did he do? He climbs on Mount Olympus ready to graciously forgive the perpetrators simply because they were his beloved siblings if only they apologize. It was a very noble action don't you agree? But what happened? He came back _bleeding_ ichor _everywhere_ from a thunderbolt wound enough that the knowledge of his immortality did **not** palliate my worries!"

Nyx disappeared and reappeared in front of Zeus in the blink of an eye, their faces merely inches apart. "If you pick a fight with Hades then you pick a fight with _all_ of Hades," she whispered, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "And if you don't want to play by Aidon's way then we'll gladly play your way. Fair enough?" She patted Zeus' hair lightly and smiled. Then turning to Hera, who was trembling near the door like a leaf upon hearing her brother's tragic state, she said in her normal pleasantly high-pitched voice, "Oh and sweet Hera? You were forgiven," before disappearing in a cloud of mist bringing the darkness with her.

There was a beat of awkward silence as the gods internalized the recent events.

Ares crossed his arms and leaned back on his throne, a puzzled expression on his face. "What was that about?" he asked to no one in particular.

"I just think the Underworld is full of insanity," Hermes stated, casually drinking a goblet of ambrosia. He couldn't understand why they made such a big deal over rape and murder. It happens every day. _They_ did it every day.

"That is…a very accurate description," Apollo nodded thoughtfully as he started to strum his lyre. "The madness of night. Does that sound like a good title for a song to you?"

Artemis, who actually worked with Nyx, didn't say anything out of respect for the ancient goddess.

Athena, who felt chided by a powerful deity other than Zeus, was shameful. Sometimes, even with all her wisdom, Athena was not always prudent. Like a warrior, she could be violent and impulsive. But when Nyx iterated the situation from her point of view, she finally understood and felt sympathetic of the Underworld king. Suddenly Zeus did not seem wise like she first thought when he struck the dark god.

But there was one god in the bunch with a similar reaction to the older Olympians regarding Nyx's visit. Eros pulled on Aphrodite's arm screaming, "We are getting out of here. Now! This is not a request!"

"Where are you going? You are not dismissed!" Zeus thundered, standing from his throne. He had enough impudence for one day!

Eros looked at him as if he had grown two heads. "What? Do you not know the wrath of older siblings?! If it were just Hades then I wouldn't worry much. But if it's Nyx then you are contending with all the residents of the Underworld itself and that includes Erebus and worse…Tartarus." The winged god visibly paled and shivered as he said the last word. That is to say that he may be the god of love, but there are just some beings that are, in a word, completely unlovable. It was like trying to love a vicious Chimaera, who would just _love_ to tear you apart. And like any obnoxious older brother with a _slight_ tendency of insanity mixed with a healthy dose of sadism, Tartarus simply _loved_ making Eros' life miserable when they were younger. "If I were you I'd evacuate this place immediately," He warned then shifting his gaze sharply at Aphrodite, "Come with me daughter of Uranus."

"But teacher…"

"No buts!" He screamed as he dragged the resistant Aphrodite out of the hall's doors.

"I'm sorry but I will have to agree with him," Hestia said as she marched out of the palace after the love god, followed by Demeter and a more willing Hera. Their exit was punctuated by the echo of loud slamming doors.

A second of silence passed. Poseidon's eyes darted around the room nervously before saying, "Well I guess the meeting is over. It was nice seeing you Zeus." The way he said it seemed like 'seeing' should be replaced by '_knowing_'. "I will be taking a long vacation so don't summon me for a while. Goodbye," The god of the seas said before making a hasty escape.

Another moment of silence passed. Basically everyone older than Zeus had left.

"I'm starting to get worried," Hermes said verbalizing the very thought that ran amongst the young gods.

A/N: Review please!


	12. Deal with the Beast

Hades woke up with a start. Dazed and disoriented, he looked around and spotted Thanatos' twin, Hypnos, sitting doubled over and sleeping with his head cradled in his arms by his bedside. In his fists were strips of black cloth stained with the ethereal gold blood of the gods – his blood. Hades realized belatedly that he was in his chambers.

Hades couldn't remember how he got there or how he ended up sleeping. He couldn't even remember sleeping or how that felt like. But he woke up so logically, he must have been sleeping. But instead of feeling rejuvenated by the ample rest, he felt even more fatigued than before. The god stared at the giant purple narcissus adorning the ceiling in deep thought. Silently, he tried to remember the recent events.

All at once the pain rushed back no duller than before. He felt nauseated by the sudden flood of intense emotions, and felt pathetic because of it. He, the god of the dead, who ought to have ruled his kingdom without the bias of emotion suddenly found himself swept away by it in powerful torrents. He felt a mixture of sadness, anger, grief and regret, and they began filling him like a dam bursting at its seams. He regretted not proposing to Leuce sooner, not fetching her sooner, and most of all, not protecting her from his brother.

Zeus.

Suddenly there, a channel, an escape, opened for the flood of emotions he could not bear. He remembered the one thing he promised Zeus before his departure – punishment. He would bring about a punishment that will reflect the storm within him.

The storm.

Filled with renewed determination, he quietly donned his helmet and exited his chambers and his palace. He passed by the large, beautifully carved doors of the Elysium fields and paused in front of them, a single name resonating in his thoughts.

He debated if he should see what he already saw and confirm what he already knew in his heart. He touched the doorknob and stayed like that for a minute, caught between desire and reluctance. And finally he let go. What good would it do to see her now? All it would do was further exacerbating the pain in his heart.

He released the breath he didn't realize he was holding and turned from the door without a second glance. He walked on the waters of the murky river Styx, following its lengths until he reached the tastefully designed gates of Tartarus, created by none other than the god of the layer himself. The massive gates looked like a large mural, a carving of the very face of fire and suffering, and already tormenting the condemned shades before they even began to step inside the domain.

He sneaked quietly past the gates and descended down to the deepest point of the Underworld. In the form of a dark smoke, he passed the screaming mortal shades. He dived deeper and passed the imprisoned grousing Titans and even deeper, into the realm where absolute darkness reigns, the part of Tartarus where not even the light from Phlegethon's fires could reach this eerie abyss. He had only heard of this place when he was being oriented to the Underworld but he never saw the need to see it until now.

It was in this dark place that Tartarus had imprisoned his monstrous son by Gaea.

Hades hovered in midair and lit a small blue fire in his palm yet it failed to illuminate anything except him. "Typhon," he said and despite his voice being softly spoken, it echoed around the dark cavern a thousand times. It gave a hint of how enormous the place was but at the same time, the effect was disorienting.

A gargantuan eye right in front of him slowly opened in reply. The eye was oddly hypnotizing to look at. It was a human-shaped eye where instead of an iris and sclera, strands of fire surrounded a snake-like pupil, providing more illumination than Hades' measly ember.

Even in his full godly form, Hades was no bigger than the monster's eye. He was Typhon, the father of Cerberus, the Hydra, Chimaera and the other monsters that plagued the Upperworld. A winged monster with the torso of a man but the rest of him beastly, he was a large composition of the bizarre. He was tall, possibly taller than Mount Olympus itself. On his shoulders, separate from his humanoid arms, were a hundred dragon heads, each one looked like the head of a hydra, menacing and ferocious looking. From his hips down, instead of legs, were two massive coils of something that resembled a snake. And his wings, his dark massive draconian wings, encompassed the space behind him, stretched and pierced by what seemed like giant butcher hooks attached to the cavern wall to keep them from moving. A single beat from those wings could've create enough disturbances to make a storm in the Upperworld.

"Who…are…you?" Typhon started groggily. His voice was loud, rough, gravelly, and it was obvious that it was unused for a long time. The very volume of his voice rocked the jutting sharp rocks on the floor and ceiling, creating a rain of dust around them. Fire and noxious fumes accompanied his words, unveiling his colossal form a little more. Some of the dragon heads, individually chained in a spoke like fashion, started blinking into awareness, each pair of fiery eyes staring disconcertingly at Hades.

"I am Hades, God of the Underworld," Hades replied loudly, managing to look elegant and kingly while dusting himself.

"The…god…of…the Underworld …" he repeated slowly. "The chosen…master." He closed his eyes and exhaled. When he opened them again, he seemed more focused on Hades' small form. "…Lord Hades. What…has brought you here?"

"I want a favor from you," Hades said slowly and clearly, his voice clear and echoing.

Typhon chuckled quietly – or what he thought was quiet. The cavern rumbled and a heavy rain of dust followed. Hades shook the dust from his person again. As Typhon was getting used to speaking again, he became more eloquent. "What…can I do… for the Underworld? My chains…bind me to my father. I'm afraid…I cannot do much."

As if to prove his point, he strained on his large shackles causing them to clank noisily (which wasn't pleasant since the noise echoed greatly) and displace even more dust (even more unpleasant). Hades dusted himself for the nth time before deciding to give up. He would just take a bath afterwards. Though with all the commotion Typhon was creating, he wondered if the apathetic shades above were panicking yet.

"I will free you," he replied. "In exchange…" he paused. Suddenly he felt uncertain. Should he free Typhon? Was he going too far? This was for the sake of revenge, he realized. Now he even felt more pathetic than before. Had he not judged souls who ended up in Tartarus because of heinous crimes done under the flag of revenge? Revenge will not bring Leuce back. No. He would not, _could_ _not_, permit himself to sink so low. He must use this opportunity for a more fruitful purpose. The most he could do was teaching Zeus a lesson so Leuce's tragedy would not be repeated.

Now that he had a more justified reason, Hades felt a bit better. "In exchange, I want you to chain down Zeus."

"Zeus? I do not know him."

This was a bit of a road block. Does Typhon even have memories of the Upperworld or was he always a resident of the Underworld? "If I may ask, what do you know or remember of the Upperworld?"

"I remember my brother Uranus…the king of the Universe."

It looked like a history lesson was in order.

Hades produced a large vision in front of Typhon, a mirage of Zeus' face margined by dark shadows. "I speak of the current ruler of the Universe, the king of the gods who lives in Mount Olympus." The vision changed accordingly to show the Greek pantheon. "He is the grandson of Uranus." The image returned to picture Zeus and with a wave of his hand, the vision disappeared. "I am sorry to say that your brother Uranus…no longer exists."

Typhon blinked, the news filed away like a trivial piece of information. "To chain him down is a simple task…. Do you not want me to obliterate him?"

"I do not wish for his death for I cannot fathom wishing death upon any of my siblings. I simply want him punished for a…misdeed he committed." The words tasted like ash in his mouth. The horrible understatement even brought him physical pain.

Typhon huffed. "You wake me for such a menial task. But I suppose…it is an easy price to pay for my freedom."

"Thank you, Typhon."

Typhon blinked with blatant incomprehension. He knew what those words were and what they meant, he just never expected to hear them in his lifetime, let alone be directed at him. It was so unusual, so alien, for his father's twisted words conditioned him that the word 'gratitude' actually burned him. But the fact that he was being thanked for persecuting another god – at least _that_ he can understand.

"However," he boomed. "The key to my chains require a heavy price…such are the terms of my father. You must turn two pieces of your being…" he eyed Hades, searching for his most valuable asset, "…your sense of justice and compassion, into keys which will unlock my shackles. What will it be Underworld?"

_My sense of justice and compassion?_ Hades knew in his mind that he should not agree to the terms, and that the results would be devastating. Yet his heart betrayed him, flashing a series of images through his mind, and the powerful emotions that came with them drowned the voice of reason. Leuce's laugh, Leuce with Zeus on top of her, and Leuce screaming her pain out before she died. They all hardened his resolve. There is no price high enough for Leuce's life, for the future she promised, for the myriad of possibilities that Zeus ended. Such was his sin.

His voice of reason fought valiantly against the tide of emotions. But his emotions basically grabbed it, gagged it, tied it, stomped on it, buried it, and even danced above its grave.

"You have a deal!" he answered, immediately summoning his powers, separating the required characteristics from the fabric of his being, and fashioning them into keys. From the palms of his hands two brilliant orbs floated. They scattered like a meteor shower and occupied at least one shackle which bound Typhon and unlocked them.

But something unexpected happened. The massive chains that bound the beast trashed around violently before they headed towards Hades, entering his heart, filling the gaps which were once occupied by his justice and compassion. A part of his being, his heart, was now bound, a consequence he did not anticipate. The chains would only disappear if the characteristics of justice and compassion returned to him.

A physical change simultaneously occurred with it. He aged. His once vibrant black locks now turned ashen. His handsome youthful face became wrinkled. His obsidian eyes became impossibly darker, with black shadows swimming across his irises. A look within these dark pools would freeze anyone with its inherent coldness and indifference.

With the loss of his justice, he lost his judgment and wisdom. Though he knew what was right and wrong, they didn't seem very important anymore, or more accurately, there was no difference between them.

And without his compassion he couldn't find any more reason for mercy, kindness, and sympathy.

A king without justice or compassion was nothing but a tyrant.

Typhon and all his dragons roared. After centuries of bondage, they were free at last! Free from the dreadful boredom of being chained with nothing else to do but sleep. Free from his father's obnoxious and weird behavior. Free from the darkness and the pain of the chains. But most of all, free to do what he was born to do: to wreak havoc! He enthusiastically climbed from his prison, laughing maniacally as he did, and slowly made his way into the Upperworld. All it took was Zeus defeat to make his freedom permanent! He could almost taste it!

Hades looked dispassionately as the two keys that were once a part of his being followed the beast to the Upperworld. He didn't know what to feel about losing them but he knew one thing was for certain – he could not sit on the judgment throne without them. He can no longer participate on the sole activity that defined his purpose and preoccupied his time for centuries.

The realization froze him to the core. Without his justice, who was Hades? He couldn't answer immediately. And suddenly he felt lost, for he didn't know who he was, his role or his lot in the universe anymore. For a moment, he panicked. _Who am I? Where am I going? _He shook his head and took a deep breath. He had the time to figure it out, for time was the only constant that the gods have. But what if the unthinkable happened? What if he will never figure it out? What then?

He hugged himself, closed his eyes, and banished all thoughts of uncertainty in his head. For now, at this very moment, he must pour all of his mind into seeing his _vengeance_ delivered. He will live in this moment without the fear of consequence. They will all bear witness to the vengeance of an unjust and cruel god. They will see just how far he can go without even flinching.

The two essences of Hades wandered around the Upperworld looking for a suitable host, a person who already possess high levels of justice and compassion. The first to find one was Justice. It entered a female titan named Themis, an earth goddess who was, at the time, pregnant with a child of Zeus. Once it entered the titan, the Underworld recognized her as a denizen of its realm and swallowed her.

Hades' compassion on the other hand, could not find a host. Lost and alone, it continued to wander aimlessly beneath Aether until the day it could find one.

A/N: Review please!


	13. Of Grapes and Insurrections

A/N: I was in the mood for a little satirical writing. As always please review!

"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" Tartarus said from behind, leaning casually against the cave wall by the gaping hole Typhon had created in his escape. "I was in my room, _disciplining_ my maids when the tremors started. I come out surprised to see that you have found and released my son. Have you decided to be a little bad and naughty after all Aidon?"

Hades turned and looked at Tartarus with his cold, empty eyes and aged countenance. "I plan to be more than a little bad and naughty this time. I find this a suitable punishment for Zeus."

Tartarus clapped slowly. "Very inspiring. I have to say this is personally to my liking. You do realize though that Typhon is not the type to single out Zeus. My son tends to decimate all _including_ Zeus. Not that I particularly favor one over the other. But that's the reason why I'm proud of him and why Uranus wanted him imprisoned in the first place."

Hades smirked darkly. "I had hoped that would happen. Come, Tartarus," he ordered. "Join me and watch the chaos that I author."

Tartarus stared at Hades blatantly awestricken. He had a sudden vision, a moment of inspiration. "Don't move," he said. Hades raised a curious eyebrow. "Don't change your facial expression!" Hades had the seeds of a perfect sadist. How come he never saw it before? Since Nyx and Erebus already had a hand in molding him, should he give it a shot too? He'll make him into the perfect king – feared, revered, undisputed, respected and saluted by everyone including him.

Hades felt confused but obediently followed the request as Tartarus circled him, eyeing him appreciatively.

"What is it?" Hades asked, following Tartarus with his eyes.

"You looked very kingly just now, so superior and cold, it actually sent shivers down my spine. But to answer your question, I do love chaos and punishments. Alright Your Highness, we shall see what you've done now. But you have to supply the food while we watch, alright?"

Hades shrugged. "I'll serve pomegranates."

"I do not care much for pomegranates. Serve grapes."

"But they are my favorite…"

Tartarus smirked, "Let me tell you a secret. Never tell anyone your likes and dislikes. It could be used against you."

"Do you plan to hold a pomegranate hostage and use it against me any time soon?" Hades snorted. "Because if you do, I can very well make a rule that will deny you all access to grapes."

For the first time in his life, Tartarus was threatened – threatened with his favorite grapes of all things. He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry. His king really had a lot of potential. "I have to say, you learn fast Aidon" he sighed exasperatedly, trying – and failing – to act indifferent. "But you _would_ choose such a sickening fruit as your favorite. Fine, I'll bring my own grapes then."

"But Underworld grapes are so bitter."

"And what's wrong with that? Did you expect me to force a grape down your throat? Because if you did, then I would rather not disappoint."

"…" Hades silently turned and walked away.

Tartarus ran after him worriedly. "Aidon! I was kidding! Don't ban grapes from Tartarus!"

888

Hades and Tartarus sat relaxed on lounge chaises beside the large pool – the very same pool Hades meant as a gift for Leuce – which currently showed the on goings of the Upperworld. It was almost dawn in the Upperworld when Typhon emerged from a large hole beneath the ground. He came from the Ionian Sea, from the west side of Greece, and proceeded to travel east, wreaking havoc until he reached Mt. Olympus.

Hades nonchalantly picked on his pomegranates while Tartarus ate his grapes. The latter quite mirthful as he watched the pathetic mortal houses get torn from their foundations and thrown around. Typhon was quite like a child throwing a tantrum and his father encouraged it like the perfect parent he was.

"What are you watching?" Erebus said as he appeared beside them. He had just finished his evening duties and searched for Aidon in his quarters when he discovered that the injured patient was missing. Being the god of darkness, it didn't take long for him to track the god down, but he was surprised to see Tartarus with him.

"Only the best show ever," Tartarus replied lazily.

Erebus' eyes grew wide as saucers when he saw who was reflected on the pool. "IS THAT TYPHON?"

"Yes. And I'm proud of him! Go son, rampage!" Tartarus cheered, taking in another grape and popping it into his mouth.

"Bu-but," Erebus sputtered. "What keys were used to free him?" They both turned and looked at Hades. He simply shrugged in reply and picked another pomegranate seed. When Erebus saw Hades' wrinkled hands he grew even more alarmed.

"Aidon what happened to you?!" he exclaimed examining his aged appearance, turning his hand this way and that and then removing his helm to examine his face. "I WANT TO KNOW RIGHT NOW. WHAT KEYS DID YOU USE TO FREE HIM?!"

"Shhh, tone down brother," Tartarus said tossing and catching a grape in his hand. "I'm sure Aidon will tell us sooner or later."

Erebus turned to him angrily. "YOU!" he loomed over Tartarus in a second and hoists the god by his neck. "What role do you play in this?!"

"You really want to do this with me?" Tartarus smiled evilly as if he enjoyed being suffocated. He gripped the hand which held his neck and curled the other around Erebus' throat in return then uttered hoarsely, "Two can play this game."

"Cease that at once," Hades ordered calmly, still picking on his pomegranates. "I cannot enjoy the show with the ruckus you are creating. We shall discuss other matters _later_," he threw a murderous look to the two gods, "Understand?"

There was no room for arguments. The brothers immediately let go of each other and settled quietly on the lounge like a pair of chastised children. Soon all three gods were watching the vision but Erebus was obviously distressed. Tartarus mischievously tossed a grape to the absentminded god beside him who quietly bit the fruit. But as soon as he realized what he was eating, he immediately gagged and spat the offending fruit. He glared at his brother who simply chuckled with clear amusement. Erebus rolled his eyes but he was mollified. The little troublemaker really knew weird ways of cheering him up.

888

Back in the Upperworld, the Olympians were getting ready to perform their daily duties once more when they heard the commotion from the west. It started when a sudden influx of desperate mortal pleas invaded their consciousness. Mortal prayers of help, especially in large numbers, were usually ignored because the gods were normally the perpetrators of the catastrophes (such as wars, famine, mass drowning or the general act of reducing human population) the mortals were praying from in the first place. This occasional paradox, dumb as the idea of reducing worshipers may be, was necessary to solicit worship. Mortal worship fuels the gods' existence but the problem was they have not prepared any catastrophes lately because (thank the gods?) they felt lazy so the mortals should not be panicking.

"Prepare for battle! Prepare for battle!" Ares shouted amongst the stunned gods and goddesses.

"What is it?" Apollo inquired worriedly.

"A beast from the west has appeared! It has already destroyed Epirus and is heading towards Thessaly! Hurry! Equip your armor!" Ares ordered in his most commanding general voice. "Athena! Warn father. There is a battle in the horizon!"

The warrior goddess nodded and proceeded to fetch Zeus while Ares brandished his best sword and smiled sinisterly. It had been so boring in Mt. Olympus lately that this was just enough to stir the bloodthirsty part that dwelled within him.

Zeus, Apollo, Athena, Ares, Hermes and Artemis were the only ones present to defend their abode. But alas they all found themselves ill prepared when they saw the monster. He was a horrible sight. His wings created air currents that took the form of hurricanes and cyclones. The serpents he called his legs created tremors and leveled mountains as he slithered on the ground. The dragon heads on his shoulders blew fire all across the land, scorching it until no life remained. The monster was Tempest incarnate and it wreaked mighty havoc on Hellas. But really, he felt just like a little boy hosing down an anthill and was simply having a fun time overhauling the land into a beautiful destruction zone.

The young gods and goddesses fought bravely against the beast but they quickly discovered that their powers were not meant for battles such as this. They have been wallowing in peace, tranquility and idleness that they had all forgotten how to fight a godly war. No, it was more appropriate to say that they never even participated in a godly war before let alone know how to fight one. One of Typhon's arms, a dragon head, was enough to take on a young deity. The truth was only Zeus himself could put up a decent fight against Typhon.

But Zeus was at a terrible disadvantage. This was not like the titan war where he had competent allies like Poseidon and Hades by his side. _Hades. _This had his name written all over it. _Those were not empty threats after all_… Zeus cursed under his breath. How was he to know that Hades had this kind of weapon under his sleeve? One would think that Zeus was wise enough to anticipate such an event. But one should also consider the fact that he was unimaginably arrogant, which was not unreasonable. Coupled with the fact that he was a god, and that in itself comes with the right to self-righteousness, the Fates served his relatively pleasant destiny on a silver platter. And in the end, Zeus assumed that his brother was all bark and no bite.

He looked around him worriedly. Despite the help of his children, he knew he was alone. He must use all of his strength and cunning to fight against the giant monster. He will bring the monster down by all means necessary.

888

"Oooh! That must have hurt!" Tartarus remarked as he watched Typhon smack Zeus to the ground with one of his giant dragon head hands, creating a rather large crater on the earth where he landed. "Aidon," he looked at Hades, "You sir have just ascended in my list from Naughty to Mastermind! You are growing up so fast and I'm proud of how you're turning out to be!" The god pretended to wipe a tear from his eyes.

"Watch out for that thunder!" Erebus said, anxiously shaking Tartarus. "Watch out!"

"Stop that! You are ruining my perspective!" he brushed Erebus' hand from his shoulders.

And then as if recognizing Tartarus' words for the first time, he spat jealously, "And what did you mean by what you said? You didn't raise him!"

"Hush boys," Nyx said daintily as she ate a slice of Underworld lemon. At first, she was just as shocked as Erebus to learn that Hades sold his Compassion and Justice to free Typhon. She knew that the repercussions would be great but she resolved that it would be alright. She would be right beside him no matter what life choices he makes. She would be right there beside him throughout this ordeal by stone or by fire just like the time when Hades was inside his father. One way or the other, it would be alright…besides Zeus totally deserved this. She actually felt excited to see the violence done against the pompous god king. "Your manners are slipping. It is not polite to make inappropriate noises when watching a show."

"Hypocrisy does not become you sister." Tartarus started. "And besides that, how can you eat that?" he grimaced as Nyx continued sucking on the lemon.

"Because it's very sweet," she replied. The Underworld is the mirror image of the Upperworld. Where a lemon in the Upperworld tasted sour, the lemons in the Underworld tasted like candies. And while grapes are usually sweet, in the Underworld they tasted like bitter gourd. Bitter gourd was an acquired taste to put it nicely. Curiously, only pomegranates tasted almost the same in both worlds with the Underworld fruit just a tad bit sour than its counterpart.

"Sickeningly sweet. Only children eat that."

"I may eat very sweet lemons but you eat those horrible grapes!"

"That's beside the point —"

"Typhon is losing!" Erebus exclaimed, bringing attention back to the battle, as he wrapped his hands around Tartarus' neck and began shaking him, or strangling, whichever the case may be. "Why is he losing?!"

In the vision, another thunderbolt struck the monster right between his eyes causing him to lose his balance and fall with a great crash. The gods and goddesses who found the opportunity presented to them began to attack the beast viciously, brutally and mercilessly, assailing the monster with wave after wave of their godly powers. For a moment, Typhon looked like an old man being bullied by a gang of unscrupulous youngsters (which in hindsight was quite accurate).

Hades, who had been silent the whole time, crushed a gold goblet in his hands into a small ball, the red pomegranate wine spilling on his hands like blood. He let the crumpled metal fall to the floor with a loud clang before he stood up from his seat and made his exit.

"Where are you going?" Erebus asked worriedly. There was a dreadful look on Hades' face.

"To correct this error," the King of the Underworld replied, not even stopping to spare the gods a glance.


	14. Massacre

The battle lasted for three days. Typhon had underestimated Zeus greatly. He relied solely on his sheer strength and size to fight against the young king but it never once occurred to any of them, Hades included, that Zeus was a seasoned warrior deep down. He was a major participant of the Titanomachy – their head general. He was the one who taught Ares all there was to know about the art of war and he may have passed the skills to his son, but he never forgot them.

And then he had superior weaponry. Later in the battle, Zeus pulled out the Sickle of Adamantine and heavily wounded the giant beast. It was a calculated move on Zeus' part. The sickle was a potent tool for deicide, the only weapon that could actually kill an immortal. It was the same weapon Cronus used to kill Uranus and was bound to be effective against Typhon.

Hades unfortunately, realized his overconfidence too late. But he swore never to underestimate Zeus again. Meanwhile, Typhon was forced to retreat from battle, hiding himself in Mt. Casion in Syria to tend to his wounds.

The battle was at a standstill.

And that was simply unacceptable.

888

"You are not carrying your end of the deal," Hades said coldly when he saw Typhon's sorry state. The son of Tartarus was hiding in a dark, damp cave inside a mountain, covered in wounds and burns, missing some chunks of his flesh, and nursing a deep stab wound on his side. But he felt no compassion for the unsightly beast. In fact, he even felt repulsed.

"It is my fault Lord Hades. I…Zeus was…too clever," Typhon replied despondently.

Hades nodded in understanding. "Do not fret Typhon. I still have a plan for you." he explained patiently. "You will attack Zeus tomorrow night but this time, you will have my aid."

"How?" Typhon questioned and added hopefully, "Do you plan on fighting by my side?"

Hades smirked slowly, darkly. "You will immediately attack Zeus. That is all you need to know. But do not worry for I will make things easy enough to guarantee your success. And you will succeed…or else. Do you understand?"

The threat behind his words was clear.

"I hear and obey, Lord of the Underworld," Typhon bowed.

888

Nyx and Erebus had coated the sky with their colors once more. They held each other's hand and watched with bated breath as corpses piled as high as mountains and Hellas was burned and razed to the ground by Hades.

Once Typhon deemed himself able to battle, he emerged from hiding and attacked Mount Olympus again, this time passing through the Aegean Sea. Zeus had been waiting for the beast to arrive. He knew that Typhon's wounds were not fatal and he was ready to fight the monster again with all intent of annihilating its existence permanently.

Zeus knew he had full advantage against the beast. He had his children and his powerful weapons. But it seems that the fickle Fates had other plans. Somehow during the middle of the fight, his power surprisingly dwindled. And it was not just him. Even his children were affected. One by one the young gods were forced to retreat from battle to tend to their wounds until only Zeus was left standing.

Down in the mortal world, amidst the chaos created by the fighting powers, Hades had opened a gateway to the Underworld. He emerged from the swirling vortex, his cape billowing behind him, equipped with his black armor and the helm of darkness, which masked his face so sinisterly; like Destruction incarnate. He was the black warrior that looked more terrifying than Typhon could ever be.

He then raised his hand ceremoniously and with a sharp snap of his fingers, the Keres, the goddesses of violent death, Moros, the god of doom, and Oizus, the god of misery all emerged from the black hole behind him. They laughed, cackled and shrieked as they sharpened their fangs and scythes, ready to devour the souls of all the unfortunate mortals who crossed their paths. No one was spared – men, women and even children. No one escaped the dark plague of death. No one escaped Hades' wrath. It was just like a mortal buffet – all you can kill.

The deaths were not limited to Greece. The plague spread all across Hellas, affecting _everyone_ who worshipped Zeus, everyone who so much as spoke his name respectfully, even those who knew him as Jupiter.

Hades walked among the mortal realm in his full godly form but invisible to everyone except for those he allowed to see him. Soon he grew tired of simply directing the denizens of Tartarus where to go. Zeus' worshippers didn't die quick enough for his taste.

So then he unsheathed his chained blades and began smiting personally with a cold, callous, and calculative look in his eyes.

Dripping in the blood of mortals, he walked through the streets of Cnossos in the isle of Crete, surrounded by screams of agony and despair, by the maniacal laughter of the slaughterers, and haloed by darkness and the angry glow of burning streets and buildings – he was the vision of Tartarus in the mortal realm.

And it was in this state that Demeter found him.

Demeter and Hestia had been worried for their brother and began scouring all of Hellas for him. They could feel that something was wrong, had gone terribly wrong and they wanted to stop it. They split up to cover more ground, Hestia going north and Demeter going south.

"Brother!" she shouted at the faint shadow outlined by a substantial amount of mortal blood. "What is the meaning of this?!"

Hades looked at the newcomer and revealed his form to her. "Hello Demeter," Hades greeted, his amiable tone was in obvious dissonance with the situation and made the goddess cringe.

"Please stop this! The mortals are all dying!"

"Ah yes. You mean these mortals?" Hades said grabbing the neck of a random running woman from the street. The innocent bystander, who could not see the God of the Underworld in her path, stared with fear and wonder as she clawed at the vice grip around her neck. Without a thought Hades squeezed until her head fell off. It eerily rolled towards Demeter's feet, the woman's face transfixed with terror and her mouth wide open in a silent scream. "What does it matter if these mortals die? They will all end up in my realm anyway. I'm simply speeding up the process."

"But the worship…the worship…," Demeter could not continue. She crumpled on the floor and clutched the decapitated head of the human woman.

"Do not fret, sister," Hades said as he approached the fallen and sobbing Demeter. He knelt down to her level and caressed her cheek with his bloody hand, leaving a trail of blood on her innocent face. "I will only smite enough mortals until I'm satisfied. It is no different from the war games you Olympians so love to partake in."

"But…but we could die…" Demeter whispered tearfully. "One of the gods could die! We can all feel ourselves weakening with each mortal death! This is too much!"

"Oh?" Hades said tilting her head to meet his cold, cruel eyes. "That is unfortunate. But you are what I call…collateral damage."

"What has gotten into you brother?" Demeter said fearfully. "You were never like this before."

Hades tilted his head to the side thoughtfully before replying, "Ah, you must be talking about the former Hades."

"Former?"

"Well I am not him. He is, shall we say, sealed inside me. When that woman died, he died along with her, you see? Isn't that poetic? I am all that was left of him…or, as I prefer, what he evolved into."

"Is this…Zeus' punishment?" Demeter whispered. She finally figured it all out. Typhon, this Plague…all these horrific events that forced most of the Olympians to flee to Egypt are all for the sake of bringing Zeus down on his knees. "Are you going to kill him?"

"Now, now," Hades smiled wickedly. "You wouldn't believe how easily I could do that, and believe me I want to do just that, but that is not what the previous Hades wanted. He may have been weak but I am grateful for that weakness. The least I could do to thank him for my birth is to honor his last will. He wanted to punish Zeus, as you said, not kill him."

"Brother, not this way. Please, I beg you, stop this…" Demeter pleaded futilely, sobbing as she grabbed the skirts of his chiton.

"Shh," Hades hushed putting a bloody finger to Demeter's lips. "Hush now, sister. It will all end soon, you'll see. I do not hold anything against you. Let it stay that way for your sake. So go on your merry way and don't get in mine or else I will get very angry with you and you don't want that, I promise you." He kissed Demeter's forehead before vanishing, not in his usual dark mist, but in a flash of dark angry fire.

Demeter was at a loss. She could not understand what her kind, compassionate, and just elder brother just said. He threatened her. Her brother, who once dragged a Titan to Tartarus personally because she and Hera were accidentally caught in the crossfire, threatened her. His overprotective and beloved brother had changed. He changed into this cold, cruel, ruthless monster. His thirst for vengeance for that lowly _mortal woman_ had finally consumed him, choked him, and killed him.

She knew this was all Zeus' fault. It was _always_ Zeus' fault. But she couldn't help blaming her brother Hades still. She blamed him as she took in the suffering of the mortals around her. She blamed him as she drowned in the screams of agony around her. She looked at the violence around her, the sight of the burning houses and the smell of blood mixed with the wicked laughter of the Keres forever etched in her memory. She blamed him and, as her own power diminished because of the numerous deaths of her own worshippers, was left grieving. She looked for Hestia and fled to Egypt with the others, carrying a broken image of her once beloved brother in her heart.

888

Zeus was tied inside a mountain just like Prometheus but unlike the titan, Zeus had no Caucasian Eagle munching on his insides by day. He couldn't believe how he ended up in this state.

It all happened so quickly. After his power had been reduced, Typhon coiled one of his dragonhead arms around him, grabbed the adamantine sickle from his hands and used it to slash the sinews from his wrists and legs and then proceeded to throw them to the far horizon. His sinews were the source of his strength and if they were denied from him, he couldn't use his thunderbolts – he couldn't even throw a punch! With his power gone, he was practically as helpless as a babe. At that time, he feared that the beast would kill him using the sickle but instead, Typhon simply sealed him deep inside a mountain and set outside his prison, the she-dragon Delphyne stood on guard. Unfortunately for him, all the other Olympians had fled for Egypt and therefore were unable to help him. He stood there in the cave, his head bowed pensively, his wrists bleeding ichor because the chains prevented it from healing, agonizing in his helplessness. Typhon had left him chained there to rot, just like he himself had done to the other immortals he punished.

He didn't know how long he had been chained. He was in a state of absolute darkness, literally and figuratively, and it robbed him of his sense of time. Simply put, he was sentenced to an isolation chamber.

He was alone in the darkness.

And all he could do was wait.

And wait.

And wait.

He didn't know how long he waited. It could have been a day or a week outside his cave but for him it was one long never ending night. He tried to conjure some light but it didn't work. He tried straining against his binds but they didn't budge.

Another thing he didn't know was that the chains that bound him were specially designed by Tartarus. Not only did it restrain godly power, it did something more sinister. The additional effects started to manifest quickly. His mind started to play tricks on him, conjuring visions in the darkness, voices, scents and tactile sensations that really weren't there. Moreover, his wrists wouldn't stop bleeding. Suffering from blood loss and hallucinations, he would bang his head against the cave wall in a futile effort to regain some sense of reality, of time and place. Left alone for a little while longer and he began to doubt reality. _My name is Zeus, god of Olympus, king of the gods_, he would tell himself but at one point he even doubted himself. That was the most harrowing experience of his immortal life. What kind of punishment was this?

He waited some more until he wasn't sure if he was alive anymore. Maybe Typhon really killed him. Maybe he wasn't really immortal. And maybe because gods did not experience life after death, he was in a state of nonexistence.

He then heard faint footsteps coming closer to him. The sound continued to echo, becoming louder and louder that when the sound stopped, the unknown visitor could only be standing before him. There were no more sounds after that.

"Who?" Zeus asked wearily. He had an idea _who_ but he'd rather ask.

"Your older brother, Aidon," Hades whispered, lighting a blue fire on his hand and casting the surroundings in pallid light. It had an eerie effect because only Hades' face was illuminated and he was wearing his mask-like helmet. Under the soft light, the shadows of his face became more pronounced, like a ghost. "I figured you'd want some company?"

"You did this," Zeus said icily, looking at his masked tormentor. It was not a question. But for a moment he wondered if this was real. Maybe his mind was conjuring this image of Hades. But did it matter?

"Come now," Hades coaxed. "Is that what you say to the person who came to rescue you from your little predicament?"

"Rescue?"

"I brought your sinews. It appears that no one was brave enough to probe the darkness of the mountain to find you. So I had to do it."

"Why? Why do you do this?"

Hades did not answer.

Zeus laughed. His laughter tinged with a bit of madness from the poisonous chains. "I see. You've come for my forgiveness. Quickly then, Hades. Bring me my sinews so I can use my thunderbolts to kill that abomination Typhon! Then I shall forgive you." _And then you're next,_ he added mentally.

"Is that what you should say to me though?" Hades said lightly. "I mean I could very well destroy these. I could _permanently_ deny you the use of your thunderbolts. You will forever be as helpless as you are now."

Zeus froze in fear. "You wouldn't."

"Are you so sure?" The tranquil blue fire on his hand turned black and violent.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Zeus roared as he trashed against his chains.

"It's the least I could do for him. After all, you killed his woman…but then again, without you, I wouldn't exist."

"What do you mean?"

"I am no longer the Hades you know. Not that you ever knew me back then. It doesn't matter. You will find out soon enough."

"You…you are pathetic! You are mad! All of this trouble for a stupid, miserable whore of all _things_!" Zeus yelled. Maybe if he provoked the god, he could trick him into releasing him. But then it backfired.

Hades chuckled darkly, escalating into a full blown laughter. "Ah Zeus," he sighed, willing the dark flames on his palm to burn brighter. He then slowly drew the sinews near the flame…

"STOP! Stop," Zeus said, slumping against the wall in defeat. "I am…sorry," he bitterly murmured. With his pride completely crushed, he continued rather brokenly, "…I never meant for her to die by Hera's hands. I didn't know you had relations with her when I did what I did. I wasn't even thinking when I forced myself on her."

"Yes. The problem with you, dear little brother, is that you never think." Hades said calmly. "You never thought that your actions would hurt Hera. You never thought that this woman was someone else's. You never thought about what lengths he could, no, _would_ go to, to avenge her. And even though your siblings, who knew him better than you ever would, warned you, you never thought to just apologize. If you just gave it a small thought then none of these would have happened!"

"I wanted to apologize! I wanted to!" Zeus snapped back. "But I couldn't! Everyone was watching me. I could not bow to anyone with that many eyes watching me. What would you have me do?!"

Hades shook his head. "You should have apologized. Now it's too late. He's gone."

"What do you mean?" he repeated. He was utterly bewildered. Hades was referring to himself in third person, claiming that he's changed and gone when he was standing right before him. Maybe this Hades was a figment of his imagination after all.

Hades shook his head, a small mocking smile on his face. "Never mind that. Because you apologized, I'm willing to forgive you."

Zeus' face lit up.

"But I want to make a deal with you. In exchange for your sinews…" Hades whispered his terms in the other god's ear. Their conversation and their agreement sealed inside the cave and kept forever secret, this they swore by the river Styx.

Soon after, Zeus gloriously emerged from the mountain (breaking it in the process), riding a flaming chariot and charging powerful bolts of lightning. He never relented and vented all his anger on the beast. He retrieved the adamantine sickle and slashed the monster to pieces. He buried his carcass under a volcano and sealed it permanently.

Poor Typhon never received his freedom after all.

Hades on the other hand, retreated to the Underworld, bringing his pestilence with him. The denizens of Tartarus complained and pouted quite like children who wanted to play some more but cannot because their father told them it's time for bed.

Meanwhile the gods and goddesses who fled to Egypt returned reluctantly, suffering from trauma that the Lord of the Underworld was not someone to be trifled with. In the first place, how was it fair that this god did not rely on worship to exist?! But at the same time, they harbored disgust and contempt for the dark king. Who in their right mind would threaten the existence of the gods because of a woman? It was below mortal, utterly pathetic! They would sooner believe that he attacked in a failed attempt to usurp Zeus' throne than the romantic drivel alternative. And that's exactly what they did. Aphrodite would have been proud of him though…if her life was not held at sword point. Ares on the other hand, though outwardly ridiculed Hades, secretly admired his ruthlessness.

Another era of peace returned, or so it seemed. All the gods returned to their respective duties, while Hades returned to his voluntary solitary confinement in the Underworld. The chaos of the 'Typhon incident' was never publicly acknowledged. It was something the Olympians wanted to pretend never happened. It became equal to something of a legend among the gods – the legend of legends.

But perhaps the greatest undeniable mystery was the change in the dynamics of Zeus and Hades' relationship. Where Zeus once treated Hades with disdain, he would now openly receive the dark god like they were the best of friends. And Hades responded likewise. It was so bizarre! The real reason was obscure to everyone but the two gods involved. It was but a matter of keeping your friends close and your enemies closer.


	15. Justice

Themis wandered around the dreary Underworld, lost and afraid. She wondered where she was, though she suspected she was no longer in the Upperworld. But if that was true, then how would she get back?

"To what do I owe the honor of meeting the earth Titan Themis in the Underworld?" A voice suddenly broke her thoughts and startled her. It belonged to a beautiful young woman in dark robes, adorned with strings of silver and crystal beads. Her long flowing locks were crowned with a silver band attached to a large round crystal on her forehead. Strings of smaller crystals rained from her crown, cascading down on her dark hair elegantly. "Do you have business with our king?"

"I-I don't know," Themis stuttered. "I was suddenly swallowed by the Underworld as soon as a mysterious ball of light entered my person. I am not sure why exactly that happened."

"The Underworld did?" she repeated, confused. How could the Underworld do something like that on its own? Did Lord Hades know of her presence? "Do you have an inkling as to what the ball of light might be?"

"I have no idea. Please have mercy. I don't belong here. Please take me back to the Upperworld!" Themis begged.

"You do not need to be frightened, Themis. I am Hecate, goddess of witchcraft and the dark arts. If you were swallowed by the Underworld, then there must be a reason why. Do you mind if I try to identify what the ball of light might be?" Hecate asked.

"How?"

"I believe it should be within my abilities if magic is involved," Hecate stretched out a hand and reached for Themis' heart. "Do you mind?"

"It's alright I guess," Themis consented. Hecate continued and laid her hand right above Themis' chest and closed her eyes. She probed Themis' essence and sought to find an anomaly in it. And she found it. She found the essence of her Lord Hades inside Themis. And it was not just any essence – it was her Lord's Sense of Justice. She gasped and jerked her hand back as if stung, her eyes wide with undisguised surprise.

"Come I must bring you before our King. Immediately."

888

"Your Majesty, the souls from the plague are waiting for your judgment," Thanatos bowed. He knew something had changed in his lord – something undeniably much direr than his physical change. Even after his lordship's vengeance was fulfilled, the Underworld continued to produce the small white flowers in the Asphodel fields. There must still be something wrong...but what?

The wrath of the Lord of the Underworld was a completely frightening experience, truly unforgettable. But strangely, now that Typhon had been defeated by Zeus, Hades seemed unconcerned of his duties.

"I will not judge souls today Thanatos," Hades said as he slashed the head of the practice mannequin with his chained blades. He was using the practice hall of his palace for the first time ever since he ruled the Underworld. It brought back memories of when he was young and practicing swordplay was all he did during the Titanomachy. The field was complete with all the weapons imagined by mortals, forged by Cyclops to withstand the usage of a god but he preferred using his own blades.

But right now he was reliving the massacre of Hellas.

"But my lord the backlog—"

Hades stopped. "Let me rephrase, I _cannot _judge souls anymore."

Thanatos was taken aback and became increasingly worried. "Whatever do you mean my Lord?"

Hades smiled sadly at the god of death, "I am no longer qualified to judge souls. I have lost my sense of justice therefore you must find the new god of justice."

The god of death was rendered speechless. This couldn't be. How could this have happened? It was then that Hecate appeared behind them, toting a titan with her. "Greetings, my lord. I have matters of the highest urgency to discuss with you in private."

"It is nothing that cannot be discussed in the presence of Thanatos. You may speak." Hades said dispassionately, not even sparing the new arrivals a glance. He grabbed the chain of one of his blades, gave it a quick twirl, tossed the blade and savagely impaled the chest of a mannequin this time.

"My lord," Hecate cleared her throat, searching her mind for the right words to say. It really was a very delicate matter. "I have found this Titan, Themis wandering around the Underworld, apparently swallowed by the realm itself. The reason being, as I have checked, is that she holds a part of you, my lord. She holds your sense of justice."

Hades retrieved his blades and looked at the titan with a blank face. He was facing the woman who now replaced his existence while successfully keeping his inner insecurities away from his expression. "Congratulations," he said in a monotonous voice, "You are now the new goddess of justice. Thanatos, show her to the seat of judgment and orient her to her new duty."

Both Hecate and Thanatos were tongue tied. The only ones who truly knew of Hades' situation were the three oldest gods of the Underworld. Confused and ignorant, they wondered worriedly in their hearts. What was the meaning of this? What had happened to their Lord? How had he lost his sense of justice in the first place? Moreover, the seat of justice was his throne. To put someone else on it…was he…abdicating?

Hades saw his minister's faces. They wore their hearts on their sleeves but he could not care less. What is a throne for if he did not have the right to sit on it anymore, if he had a convenient replacement for himself? Just like how the other kings of the universe were replaced, it may as well be time for him to vanish. He had already outlived his usefulness. "Why are you still here? Do you have something else to say?" he demanded forcefully.

"My lord!" Both of them started at the same time, only Hecate conceded once she heard Thanatos speak.

"My lord," Thanatos repeated. "How have you lost your sense of justice in the first place?"

Hecate wondered the same thing.

Hades explained everything succinctly and matter-of-factly. He was tired of reiterating his situation. He actually considered holding a meeting just so he could tell his story but he decided that the less who knew of this matter, the better. "…so now that I have satisfied your curiosity, go attend to your latest orders." And just like that, he returned to his quarters, leaving his subordinates and the Titaness baffled beyond belief.

888

Hecate and Thanatos, the right and left hand of Hades, now stood beside the Titaness on the court. The court had a long queue of souls occupying its cavernous hall and Themis felt positively overwhelmed. The ministers tried to guide her through her new duties but Thanatos was obviously less enthused to do so. In fact, in his own subtle way, he was downright opposed to it. Hecate tried her best to instruct the woman but by the fifth soul, Themis broke down crying. "There are so many! I'm not sure I can do this," she sobbed. "And they are all so hard to judge. I can't bear looking at all of their lives! It's too much! I don't want to do this. I do not belong here! I want to go home!"

Curled on the ground in front of the throne and weeping, that was how Nyx found the titan when she appeared. "Oh you poor dear!" Nyx said in her most motherly tone, cradling her, and rubbing her back soothingly. "Shh, it's alright. We can find ways to make things easier for you. I'm sorry you have to carry the burden which was originally my son's but no one else can do this at the moment but you."

Themis didn't answer but kept crying. Thanatos felt more annoyed than empathetic. The Underworld needed to run like clockwork, _had been_ running like clockwork ever since Hades sat on the throne, but now that responsibility was passed onto the hands of another deity. He couldn't help but resent the woman who was chosen to replace his lord on the judgment throne. No one deserves to sit there but his master. He absolutely did not want to stand by any other god but Hades! It was Hades whom he had sworn loyalty to, not this sniveling girl who was below even himself!

"Do not worry," Thanatos said coldly, a little bit of his hate bleeding into his usually emotionless voice. And then purposefully adding salt to the injury, he continued, "My lord Hades can judge this amount of souls in a month. If you have inherited his sense of justice, surely you can accomplish the same amount at the same rate?"

Nyx narrowed her eyes warningly on her son. She knew what Thanatos was feeling but now was definitely not the time to be acting like a child!

_A month?_ Themis' eyes grew widely. There must have been thousands, maybe even ten thousands of souls who died in the plague. How could she judge them in a month? "I can't do it," she whispered fearfully. "These souls have had intense experiences, for they have all died violently, and I can't help but feel as if I'm the one dying when I see death through their eyes! I do not know how Lord Hades can do it but I can't!" Themis wailed.

They all stared at the Titaness incredulously. For the first time they had an idea how Hades judged souls. None of them knew how he judged exactly. He just did. They didn't know that he relived each and every soul, nor did they know that he must have experienced death a million, billion, trillion times over. What could Death have looked like in his Master's eyes through the eyes of mortals? Suddenly, like an employee who realized for the first time that he had a supervisor who stealthily studied his job from behind a one-way mirror, Thanatos felt very self-conscious of his work. But at the same time, he felt proud to show his king that he did nothing short of a job well done.

"Alright child," Nyx said softly, gently placing a finger under the titan's chin and lifting the woman's face to meet her eyes. "As the new goddess of justice, what exactly impedes you from judging?"

"I can't look at them without bias," she complained sadly. "I feel like I should put every single one of them to Asphodel or Elysium. I feel like, living as the soul, I can understand why they did what they did and that hinders me from judging accurately from an objective point of view!"

"For that problem, I think wearing a blindfold and holding a scale that measures the value of a mortal's heart should be enough don't you think son?" Nyx turned to Thanatos. "And a sword would help if she has to sentence souls to Tartarus!"

"Yes. That should be adequate," he replied tersely. It's ridiculous. Lord Hades never had to wear a blindfold or carry any of those things.

"Also I can't do this alone! There are so many shades I cannot possibly judge them alone! It will take forever!"

"For this, you can hire a few lawful shades as your aide, can she not?" Nyx once again turned to her son.

How utterly pathetic. His Majesty never had to ask for help even though he had to handle a backlog of souls from since the beginning of creation. "Yes mother, aides will do."

"There you go, child!" Nyx said smilingly. "Isn't it just splendid? You can have all of these so dry your tears. It's going to be alright." She gently wiped the titan's tears with her sleeves.

Themis nodded gratefully. Hecate immediately ran and commissioned the Cyclops to create the necessary tools for judgment then recruited three souls: Aeacus, Minos, and Rhadamanthus. There was no time to waste. The souls must be sentenced immediately.

But it turns out that all those help didn't matter. What would have taken Hades around a month to judge alone, Themis took twice as long to do. It may have been because she was new at the job and that was understandable but how dare she have the nerve to be proud of how fast she was if she didn't meet the standard?! If she had been the one to handle the backlog of souls, she'd still be judging even now. Really, Thanatos could not stand her.

But the incompetent Titaness wouldn't be sitting on the throne had he not suggested that his Majesty take a break in the Upperworld. She would not be sitting there had he done his part and checked when Leuce would die. The incompetent titan would not be replacing his master had he not delivered the soul of that mortal woman.

Yes, there is no one more incompetent than him. What right did he have to complain about incompetence?


	16. Existence

**A/N: Happy Mother's Day. **

The momentary frenzy of revenge had passed. The euphoria of being caught in the moment had worn off. And the rush from the momentary insanity that gripped him faded into oblivion with every second that passed. The whole experience was frightening yet at the same time exhilarating but now reality was crashing down on him. And without the erratic emotions holding it off, Reason slowly rose from its grave and returned with a vengeance to haunt and torture Hades.

He felt like he was standing before a cliff, only one step away from falling. He searched and searched within himself, asking question after question in his mind: _Who am I? Where am I going? For what purpose do I exist? Am I even needed anymore? _But he couldn't come up with an answer. His mind was so unbearably foggy. He was merely a step away, a step away from the edge of the cliff with _nothing_, in the whole meaning of the word _nothing_, waiting to swallow him in to the dark abyss of nonexistence. He was about to become _nothing. _He was on the verge of breaking and he didn't know how to stop it.

Or if he even wanted it to stop.

Hades wandered aimlessly among the white flowers of the Asphodel field without a soul for miles around. The loose petals danced around him, riding on the back of a soft invisible breeze, shining like white rain. He plucked a flower and caressed its white petals, pondering over the questions again and again until his head hurt. How come he, a king, could not find meaning for his existence? How come he, a god, did not know of the answers?

Was there even an 'answer'?

He felt a fear that can't be spoken and at the same time felt as dead as the shades which roam his kingdom. He knew of his mistake now and just how grave it was. He lost fundamental pieces of himself. He lost his _self. _And now he was incomplete – broken. He was as good as broken glass and try as he might, he didn't know how to pick up the shards without cutting himself as he was doing now. And then every time he tries and fails to pick up the pieces, he inches closer to the edge of the metaphorical cliff...

"What are you doing here, dear?" Nyx's sudden, familiar and soothing voice sounded from behind him, pulling him away from his depressing thoughts and back to his equally depressing reality.

"I'm thinking," he replied slowly in a hollow voice, his eyes fixated on the asphodel flower he was twirling between his fingers.

"About what?"

Hades turned and faced Nyx with the eyes of a lost child and all of his worries came rushing out of his mouth like a waterfall. "What am I to do now? What is my role in the Underworld now? I cannot see how my existence is still necessary. The Underworld was self-sufficient when I came and it will continue to be whether I am here or not. I was thinking…I was thinking…maybe I should just disappear…"

A crisp slap resounded throughout the field of white flowers.

"Chthonius Hades Aidoneus Clymenus Polydectes," she replied sharply. "Are you thinking more clearly now?"

Hades' eyes were wide with surprise as he brought his hand up to his burning cheek. He couldn't even move his mouth in shock.

"Do you not remember the name of the entire lower realm? Do you not remember under what name does the Underworld call itself? Its name is Hades. I am not sure if you realize the significance of such a fact. If you do not then I will gladly tell you just what that means. Just like I am not just the goddess of night, I _am _Night; just like Tartarus is not just the god of Tartarus but the pit itself; and Erebus is Darkness; you my sweet child, Hades, are not just the king of the Underworld, not even the god of the Underworld but the Underworld itself.

"You are the third and largest of the three realms – the unseen part of the Universe. The name you were born with, Aidoneus, which means unseen, signifies your role! You are a primordial god in your own right, which to this day, baffles us why you were not born with the Underworld to begin with.

"But whether you were born with the Underworld or not means nothing to us. I mentioned it before, when you first arrived here that this realm had waited for you for a long time. And the day we all swore our allegiance to you was the day we acknowledged your existence as the Underworld personified. Tartarus and Erebus are welded to this realm…to you. We are all a part of you and you are a part of us. To say that your existence is unnecessary is to say that this realm is unnecessary. And there is no such thing. Do you understand?"

Her voice softened. "You are different from your brothers. They are not the rulers of their realm as they like to believe. They are simply borrowing the power of Pontus and Aether, the original powers of the Upperworld. They are replaceable, just like Uranus was replaced by Cronus and him replaced by Zeus.

"But you, my dear sweet child, are not replaceable," she held his face firmly but gently between her hands. "No one came before you or will come after you. So stand up straight and clear your mind. You are Hades Aidoneus, Receiver of Many, and God King of the Underworld. You may not possess your justice and compassion like before but that does not change who you are, what you are or what you mean to all of us. Now, go and elegantly, proudly claim your kingdom and throne."

Hades felt absolutely humbled. He had never been chided this way, nor was his existence stated so simply yet so passionately. All her words left a deep impression on him and became the gentle helping hand that reached out from the fog to piece the broken shards of his self. Nyx was always the warm presence that he remembered leaning on when he was young whenever he was sad and lonely – the powerful darkness that swallowed all the frightening things away. She was his rock, his mother.

Life, purpose, and relief flowed through his veins. He let out a shuddering breath and like someone waking from a long slumber, Hades' eyes, though still held the evidence of his curse, shined with renewed vigor and hope. He bowed his head and slowly embraced the dark goddess tightly, gratefully. "Thank you, mother, for everything," he whispered, the words felt insufficient to describe how profoundly grateful he truly was for her existence and presence in his life. "I am fine now. You have dispelled the fog in my mind. Thank you."

A single tear fell from his closed eyes.

"Oh child," Nyx returned the embrace and said in that warmest, most reassuring voice only a mother could possess, "No matter what, where, when, and how, I will always be here for you. Forever and Always."

When Hades lifted his head back up, there was a deep determination shining behind his dark cursed eyes – it was the resolve to maintain his duty as The Underworld and to regain his justice and compassion _by all means necessary_.

888

An inexorable sense of duty and responsibility became his everything more so than before. He took back his throne from Themis and continued to judge souls with her guidance. He gave her a separate seat together with her three judges. The four of them became his jury and sometimes judged souls in his absence.

Themis became his mentor of sorts and gradually, he began to regain semblance of his former self. Some of his youth even returned. And yet without his compassion, he was a harsh judge with a high standard that was bordering on draconian. Not to mention, the humans were learning from the gods they worship that unjust deeds are quite common and therefore alright. The humans reasoned, if the gods, who were their absolute role models, the rod of which they measure their greatness and glory, can be 'sinful' (by the definition of the laws of the netherworld) and remain unpunished, then why can't the mortals too? Foolish mortals, dreaming that they can be closer to the gods they serve. Can't they see the god's live by 'do as we tell you not as we do'? These factors combined made the chances of going to Elysium overwhelmingly low.

Later on, Themis gave birth. She, together with her new daughter Dike, oversees all forms of justice be it in the Upper or the Underworld. However, although she can discern what is right and wrong according to the divine and mortal law, she cannot bring forth punishment. She was the small voice whispering righteous words called conscience that fell on deaf ears. For the ancients, there was no such thing a conscience, just principles (and even that was subpar). And not surprisingly, it turns out that both mortals and immortals were equally immoral.

Hades himself had grown weary of the shades he judged. They repeated the same sins over and over and never learned from their mistakes. He didn't mind it before until he knew why the mortals were so misguided. They had been tainted so much by Zeus. His whole immortal family couldn't seem to keep their scruples and integrity. And so he employed Nemesis (retribution) and Oizus (misery) to reign on the Upperworld under the guidance of Themis so she could at least have some executive power.

However, try as he might, the concept of justice itself was never relearned in its entirety. It was unbelievably frustrating to be in a state where something that used to be his nature now seemed out of grasp. His judgments were not erroneous to say the least because they strictly follow the laws he had written a long time ago but then there were special cases that did not align perfectly with the law, all those annoying shades of grey. He was at a loss on how to deal with them. He relied on Themis heavily to handle these special cases and she was more than willing to help the struggling king. His dedication to regain something he lost, which she now possessed, touched her and at the same time made her feel guilty. And while Hades assured her that she was not at fault, she couldn't help but feel like a thief. To alleviate her guilt, she tried her hardest to assist the king in his judgments even if the soul turnover rate needed to slow down for his sake.

It was painfully obvious what was wrong. Without empathy, he couldn't see all the sides of the situation as he did before. He couldn't even see through the eyes of the shade at all. Compassion and justice were so much more intertwined with each other than anyone fathomed.

888

One day, Hades was once again summoned to Mount Olympus. Hermes arrived in the Underworld and reluctantly, timidly, like a shaking hamster, handed the missive to the king, his pale face clearly saying, 'can you please not come?' before departing in a flash.

Hades read the missive silently before tossing it on the floor, which was then picked up by Tartarus.

"What's this? 'Come join us?'" Tartarus said turning the thick scroll of paper around to look for further writing but found nothing but the three gaudily embellished words.

"It's my brother, Zeus," Hades said as he leaned back tiredly on his throne. "He wants my presence in Mount Olympus to discuss some inane matter or another. I would guess it may have something to do with worship and they wish me to be the arbiter – like I care. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I wanted to see when you'd come back down to my layer as usual but now I found something more interesting," he replied, waving the missive in his hand.

Hades threw him a wary look. "And that is?"

"We're going to mount Olympus!" he declared triumphantly.

"_We?_"

"Yes, we, you and I. We'll make it interesting – at least I will. I always make things interesting," he chuckled egoistically.

Hades had a thoughtful look on his face and stared intently at the other god, as if he was trying to decipher what was inherently wrong with Tartarus' head. "I am not going," he said really slowly as if he was talking to a five-year old mortal.

"Oh come on!" Tartarus rolled his eyes exasperatedly. "We're going! Besides, didn't you say you have this troublesome mortal you've been itching to punish? Let's use this opportunity! Agree with me Thanatos!"

All attention went to the silent death god standing like a statue beside the throne that was only observing the casual exchange between the gods but then got sucked into their childish argument. His eyes nervously darted to and fro between them.

"Don't," Hades warned.

"Do," Tartarus threatened.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Thanatos cleared his throat and tried to say something completely random to avoid the situation, "The Underworld is in need of more assistants…?"

"Haha! I win!" Tartarus jumped.

Hades raised an eyebrow, "He didn't agree with you."

"But he didn't disagree too! Besides he clearly said we need to recruit someone from Mt. Olympus. Clearly that was what he meant!" he let out a low laugh, "Those Olympians are in for the surprise of their life." He cleverly dismissed himself before he could hear any words of protest from the king.

Hades genuinely felt that he should not attend but he soon changed his mind. The troublesome mortal who has been delaying death of some mortals through the healing arts had crossed the line and tried resurrecting the dead. Medicine, in Hades' opinion, was fine but once the dead were in his realm, they stayed there. To resuscitate the dead and trap the soul within what's practically a corpse without his permission was considered treason of the highest level. This needed to be addressed quickly. He had the Erinyes fetch the mortal and held prisoner until the Olympian meet.

Tartarus was absolutely delighted to know that Aidon had given him permission to attend, which in his dictionary, meant that he also gave him permission to _do as he liked._


	17. Asclepius

The problem with Hades was that he could not deal with free time. For him, free time and wasting time was the same thing. Every second that passed could not be retrieved – every second was too precious to waste, even if time flowed eternally for beings such as him. Every second was unique, but then they would belong in the past in the blink of an eye.

Since he partially relinquished his judging duty, he had a lot of free time in his hands. So he pondered about what to do with it. He tried practicing swordplay and reading in his study but they didn't feel right. There must be something else he could do.

Maybe he really was obsessed with work.

It was then that Tartarus swooped in and unintentionally offered him a job in the form of a really long, really childish complaint. Out of the three layers of the Underworld, Tartarus complained that he had the highest incidence of souls wanting to escape.

"I don't understand! How come they all like Erebus' layers better than mine, those ungrateful shades?! I welcome them in my realm with open arms and this is how they repay me?! By trying to escape? I go above and beyond in making them feel welcome! Why, I even built them a homey gate that screams 'welcome to your final destination' to greet them, tasteless ingrates! Worse they even have my maids', _my_ maids', personal attention!" he once ranted as he paced angrily back and forth in front of Hades.

"And you are telling me this, why?" Hades looked curiously.

"Well…I felt like ranting so I had to rant at someone and Erebus is not here so you're next in line," Tartarus sighed. "I feel better now. That's all, bye Aidon!" He waved before vanishing and returning to his layer.

Hades became curious and entered Tartarus' layer. There was one word that the Pit god said that caught his attention: escape. Escape was a taboo word. His realm was the point of no return, not a Swiss cheese security prison! Thus he inevitably found himself patrolling the deepest, darkest parts of the Underworld like a strict prison warden, observing the works of the Erinyes and Hecatoncheires. Those souls who wandered too close to the gates for comfort were impaled by his blade and tossed to the screeching Harpies hovering in midair, and then transported the offenders to their proper compartment. After which, he would continue investigating the integrity of his prisons.

Although he felt reduced to another prison warden no different from Charon – who patrolled the river Styx or Cerberus, who guarded the entrance to the Underworld – this was a duty he took seriously. He made sure that no soul unfit to reincarnate ever saw even the slightest shadow of the Upperworld.

And so it was inevitable that Tartarus took notice of his favorite nephew's presence.

Tartarus had a passion for inflicting pain and he tried to get Hades to like it too. At first, in his excitement, he would pull Hades to where he conducted his most brutal tortures – ones he would secretly teach to the whole of Europe and pass it off as an inquisition method in the future – but Hades found them uninteresting. He simply did not feel anything for the suffering souls but cold indifference. As long as no one escaped, he was fine with that.

When he finally saw the depth of his nephew's work ethic and how deeply buried he was in this obsession, he wished Typhon took that instead! Hades was a total stick in the mud no matter what. And he frowned tremendously at that. He wanted his nephew to appreciate the art of pain but the task was turning out to be painfully difficult. _Perhaps because Aidon is new to it that he cannot appreciate bloodletting_, he thought, _then what about causing the most pain without the need for a physical wound?_ So he toured Hades to the chambers where he conducted emotional and psychological abuse – this, the dark king listened to with half an ear which heartened the Pit god. Eventually he took the role of a mentor and revealed the fundamentals and the finer points of torture to Hades.

So when Tartarus heard of Asclepius, he wanted to use the newly acquired prisoner as an instrument to further Hades' learning – that and reinforcing his influence on the Olympians, which in effect would boost Hades' reputation. Moreover there was someone up there that he hadn't seen in eons and missed terribly.

Not that him missing someone was a particularly good thing.

888

"What are these?" Tartarus said grimacing as he circled the horses tied on the chariot. "They're so _unbelievably ugly_!"

The four shiny mares neighed in protest.

"They're Poseidon's gift to me. I find them quite pleasing actually," Hades replied caressing the neck of one of the steeds, its black mane glistening like the porcelain mask on his face. He never left the Underworld without his helm but he opted to show just a part of it instead of the whole gear to hide his aged countenance and let the rest remain invisible. For this special occasion, he chose to wear a black flowing chiton with silver asphodels embroidered on the borders and asphodel shaped diamonds embossed on his platinum fibulae. His lone accessory was a pair of masterfully crafted silver arm bands coiled on both his forearms.

"They look so abnormal! They only have one ugly head and four legs that all look the same! What kind of beast are they? These abominations surely violate the laws of sense! Why, I bet our slowest Chimera is faster than this…this…whatever it is!"

"They're called horses. And we're riding them to Mt. Olympus."

He looked at the beasts and back to Hades then back again. Suddenly going to Mt. Olympus didn't seem as exciting as before. "Do we really need to?" Tartarus gulped. He could swear those things were glaring at him. "Can't I just ride Cerberus or even a chimaera there and not this gross thing?"

Hades shook his head in reply. "We're not riding them. They're merely driving us. Also, did you stare at the fires of Phlegethon?"

Tartarus rolled his eyes. "I live in the banks of Phlegethon Aidon. I've been staring at it for eons."

"Be prepared. It's bright up there," he cautioned as he mounted on the chariot and waited for the other to do the same. Tartarus hesitantly embarked and held on to the golden rails with all his might. After millennia of being in the Underworld, he would journey to the forgotten Upperworld again and he didn't want to start it off by falling off an open chariot and rolling down a mountain.

888

"Damn! Damn! (CENSORED)!" Someone screamed from behind the doors of Olympus. No one recognized the voice but who would be so bold to curse in the sacred grounds…well, except for Zeus and Hera? Maybe Ares or Poseidon or even Apollo...alright, nevermind, anyone can curse freely on sacred grounds.

"You damn liar!" the loud voice continued. "You just said it's _bright_ up here. That was a (censored) understatement! I'm seeing (censored) spots! No, I think I'm (censored) blind!"

"Watch out for that pillar," another replied listlessly but apparently it was useless because it was followed by a loud thud and the telltale crack of a broken marble.

"Why is it so damn BRIGHT in here? Did they hang a (censored) messenger on the (censored) ceiling? And who's the (censored) idiot who put a (censored) pillar there?!"

A loud boom followed that statement – probably the sound of the same marble exploding into tiny, dust size pieces.

The Olympians were curious enough to stop their activities to eavesdrop on the bizarre conversation happening on the other side of the door. Some of them even blushed. They were hearing new swear words they have never heard before.

"Messenger? Pillar," a loud crack sounded again but this time it was followed by an exasperated sigh. "I told you to stare at Phlegethon before coming here."

"I did," the other groused. "But it didn't help now did it?!"

"Close your eyes and slowly open them. Better? Now quit complaining," the second one replied as he opened the door. Lo and behold, it was Hades with a strange man with flame like hair, clad in blood-red chiton, following behind him. Hades gave his companion a side glance whispering, "Pillar," but his warning was in vain.

The moment the stranger stepped inside, a bloodcurdling scream echoed in the room.

It came from none other than the god of love, who scrambled to arm himself with his bow and arrow and aimed it at the stranger. He took a few reflexive steps back and fired.

The stranger adeptly caught the arrow between his forefinger and middle finger and melted it in his hands. "Eros how I missed you so!" he smirked.

_So you can catch an arrow but you can't dodge a pillar?_ Hades thought. _You're the one who violates the laws of sense._

Eros' eyes widened in fear as he turned around and headed for the nearest exit but he was blocked in the blink of an eye.

"I haven't seen you in eons, brother," the other said cheerfully. "You look as adorable as ever and your beautiful wings…" He tried reaching for Eros' wings but the god of love quickly stepped back to avoid his touch. "I don't know if I should be disappointed that they're not stained golden and permanently broken or happy that I get the second chance to fix that! It will be just like old times!"

Eros nocked another arrow, his face pale with fear. "Stay back!"

"A love arrow?" Eros' alleged brother cocked a brow, and with his voice turning serious he continued, "You know I have yet to forgive let alone forget the last time you shot me with one of those."

"Ha-Hades! Wh-why did you bring _him_ here?!" Eros cried to the other god who never moved a step and simply watched since the ruckus started.

All eyes turned to him as he slowly walked to his assigned seat in the circle and replied, "He wanted to come."

"_Are you out of your mind?!_"

"But I did! I wanted to see you!" the stranger affirmed smilingly, his smile not at all friendly.

"Who are you?" Zeus spoke, intruding on the bubble the three beings created for themselves in the blink of an eye. Once Zeus' booming voice subsided, everyone became curious of the strange character Hades brought.

"I am deeply offended Zeus," he looked away and tried to act vulnerable. "You have been inside of me and dumped all your unwanted evils in me, yet you do not recognize me?"

Hera gripped her throne to the point where it cracked, her face was seriously bordering on turning into a gorgon when Zeus looked at her and said, "I swear on the river Styx it is not what you think it is. I do not know him. You!" he pointed to the stranger, "Stop spouting nonsense and tell us who you are!"

The stranger formed eye contact with Hades…and he didn't like what he saw on the dark god's face. He could practically hear him screaming 'Behave!' with his expression alone. _Geez, always so serious_, he thought. So gathering his dignity, he faced the Olympians with an air of drama that could rival Zeus'.

"Hello children. I am Tartarus," Tartarus replied with flair _and_ flares. There was a cacophony of gasps all around the room, faces painting every emotion known to man and beyond – enough to make an encyclopedia of expressions – followed by a beat of silence and then last but not least, a stampede. All the nymphs, servants and minor deities present within a one hundred mile radius ran away screaming leaving just the twelve Olympians transfixed on their seats, staring at the newcomer. Here was the god whose existence was tightly entwined in their history but has never seen before until now.

"Wow. I knew only a select few can handle my awesome presence but that was something else, right Aidon?" Tartarus snickered. "Even Eros used the diversion to get away."

"What are you doing here?!" Zeus asked standing up. He looked at Hades warily. _Was this another insurrection?_ When it comes to dealing with Hades, there was always a healthy dose of paranoia involved.

"We're here for business reasons," Hades answered leaning forward on the table and bringing his fingertips together, his expression serious.

Tartarus hummed in agreement then pointed at Ares, "You!" he said in a commanding voice as he walked toward him and sat on the arms of his throne. The god of war stiffened and sat straighter. "You smell so good, like that of blood and suffering," he ran a finger across Ares' jaw and looked at him sentimentally. "You are very pretty too. What kind of god are you?"

If Ares was not scared stiff from the way Tartarus looked at him, they could pass off as an intimate couple.

"What is _that_ doing here?!" Hera asked angrily. She didn't like how the primordial was so disturbingly close to her son.

"You should be more careful in addressing me _girl_," Tartarus replied, shifting to a threatening tone while he caressed Ares' face gently. "I am one of the few gods who can, and will, do whatever I like." Then looking back to Hades he asked, "I like this boy. Can I have this one Aidon?"

_He claims to be free yet he asks my permission in the same breath_, Hades thought. _Another violation of the laws of sense_. He shook his head, _if I keep a tally, it would never end_.

Ares pressed himself against his throne, paralyzed in his seat, his fingers trembling and his face sweating bullets. If they're not an intimate couple then a master and a pet then.

"Tartarus, get away from Hera's boy. We're here to conduct business…but I'm starting to think this could be considered entertainment to some," Hades looked pointedly at both Zeus and the Pit god. He snapped his fingers and a black portal appeared in the middle of the room. One of Tartarus' scantily clad maids emerged from the hole, her hands and feet cuffed and chained. "Anyone who cannot see a beautiful woman there, get out."

Demeter immediately stood up and bolted for the doors – she had had enough. She was about to hurl. Hestia was more hesitant. She missed her brother but she could not see a beautiful woman. She saw the monster for what it really was. Hades made eye contact with her but it wasn't their usual eye contact. It was like making eye contact with a ruthless stranger and that was what frightened Hestia enough to run. More Olympians such as Artemis, Apollo and Poseidon followed. All that remained in the hall were Zeus, Hera, and Ares, who couldn't move even if he wanted to, Hermes, Athena and Aphrodite.

"And thus all that's left are people who enjoys inflicting suffering – sadists, my kind of people," Tartarus swept his hand to them then he chuckled darkly, sending shivers down their spines. "There are so many sadists in your family Aidon."

He climbed up the table in front of Ares' throne and sat on its edge with his feet dangling off the floor. He motioned for the Erinyes with his finger to come closer and the chained woman obeyed. She knelt in front of her master and reverently cupped his sandaled feet before licking it. "They are going to love this."

Hermes' face turned pale but he held his composure. Zeus' eyes lit with lust while Ares was just glad the primordial god wasn't looming over him, although he could appreciate the sensuality of a submissive woman. The women only felt indifferent.

"Can we bring him in now?" Tartarus asked Hades, who simply nodded. "Alright!" he cheered excitedly as he snapped his fingers and another portal appeared in the middle of the floor. From the portal emerged a bound man struggling against his binds, his ropes locked by a long rod with a snake coiled on it – the rod of Asclepius.

"His name is Asclepius, a man who dared resurrect the dead without my permission," Hades said in a monotonous tone. "He is to be punished in Tartarus but for that to happen, he must die first."

"I'll take it from here. Aidon, take notes," Tartarus pointed at Hades, then announced in a loud voice. "Now, gods and goddesses!" he kicked the Erinyes away and walked towards the prisoner, circling him like a beast to its prey. "Welcome to your first Underworld conducted public execution. I will be your Master of Ceremonies, Tartarus. This event is sponsored by the Lord of the Underworld. What you are about to witness is a taste of what punishment in my layer is like.

"This woman here is an Erinyes, my maid and punishment enforcer," he said while pulling the woman's hair in a rough manner before caressing her face tenderly, "Right, my sweet?"

The woman was blushing and breathing lasciviously and clearly enjoying her position before she nodded. "In a moment," he continued. "The prisoner and the punisher will be pitted against each other in brutal, bloody carnage of pure sadism. Are you at the edge of your seats yet?"

Hades, who had seemingly lost interest, calmly poured himself a drink of ambrosia.

Tartarus immediately shifted gears, "but first a little appetizer." He stood in front of Asclepius and said to him, "You moron. Of all the imbecilic things you can do, you have to anger the god of the Underworld. Now your worthless afterlife, which stretches an eternity, _an eternity_, is sealed. And even better, no god will take your side and save you. On the contrary, said gods will look forward to your suffering as an entertainment." He let the words sink in and watched as Asclepius' face turned hopeless and broken right before their eyes. "Look into my eyes mortal," he commanded. "And see the eternal horrors that await your soul."

It was a brief eye contact but it was enough to make Asclepius scream and writhe as if he was burning in Phlegethon – alive.

When Tartarus abated his torment, the kneeling prisoner vomited, tremors racking his entire frame. He chuckled maniacally and said in a low whisper, "Now I put a curse on you mortal: every sensation you will feel from this point on is multiplied a thousand times. And all the sensation you will feel from this moment on will only be pain," he smirked and then snapped his fingers.

The chains of both prisoner and executioner vanished, signaling the beginning of the dreaded moment. The Erinyes, like a cunning lioness, immediately attacked Asclepius with brutal precision, slowly making the most painful and yet non-life threatening attacks with nothing but her slender, long, razor-sharp nails. It was pure suffering and he made it known through his loud, uninhibited screams of agony. But the sights and sounds of the throne room remained in the room for Hades had erected a barrier around it to prevent innocent outsiders from witnessing or hearing the ruthlessness served in spades.

A spot of blood landed on Hades' face but he ignored the way it ran down his ashen cheek as he continued watching the scene with grim eyes. What difference can a drop of blood make on his black frozen heart?

"Enough," Hades' voice rang through the piercing screams of Asclepius. The Erinyes stopped her sharp long nails just a few millimeters away from the prisoner's eye and maliciously held it there. "It's time for the killing blow. Zeus."

The only ones who openly enjoyed the scene played in front of them were Ares and Zeus…and they looked ecstatic. Ares was even licking his lips. The women were more controlled of their outward expression but to the careful eye, out of all of them, Aphrodite relished the violence the most. There's a reason why she kept on sleeping with Ares. Zeus woke up from his rhapsody and turned to his eldest brother with a business-like expression, "Yes?"

"The killing blow please," Hades motioned towards the barely breathing prisoner lying on his pool of blood.

"What? Why me?"

"Don't you want to? You looked like you were enjoying the show so much that you wanted to participate. Besides, this is the man who dared resurrect the dead and almost succeeded with it too, thanks to Athena, but ended up creating an abomination through his science – a breathing corpse. The Keres, Thanatos and Hypnos had to use their combined efforts to rescue the soul from its bodily prison. He threatens the immortality you love so much…but you look unprepared to deal the killing blow, brother."

"What are you talking about? Of course I can handle giving the final blow!" Zeus bellowed before charging a thunderbolt in his fist. When he flicked the bolt towards Asclepius, killing him on the spot, Hades and Tartarus applauded.

"Very good," Hades commended. He walked to the charred corpse, materialized one of his chained blades in his hand, and decapitated it. He picked up the severed head of Asclepius and tossed it to the Erinyes. "Mount that on a pike and set it in the mortal realm. Let it be a message that no one trifles with the Underworld.

"I have to thank you brother. If I could kill him I would, but he is the son of Apollo," he smirked.

Zeus' eyes widened slightly. He had been used! But instead of showing anger, he said with a delightful smile, "You are welcome, brother."

"Now let's get down to the second stage of my business." He picked up the rod of Asclepius and slowly walked from god to god with the rod pointing to them. When he reached Hermes, the rod glowed and magically changed into a golden, winged staff with two snakes encircling it.

"Curious little god of thieves. Despite my warnings, he was curious. He didn't see a beautiful woman but the Erinyes' true form yet he stayed to see what would happen. Now that you have seen, it cannot be unseen," Hades gave the rod to Hermes. "The Caduceus has chosen you. You are the one."

"What?" Tartarus whined as he materialized beside the god of thieves to poke him. "Why him? He looks so lame! Choose Hera's boy!"

Hades glared at the god.

"Right, shutting up. Well boy, welcome to our Underworld family," Tartarus sighed disappointedly as he coiled a rope around the god from the shoulders down and even tied a gag on his mouth for good measure.

"What is the meaning of this?" Zeus asked confused.

"We were having a shortage of chthonic gods. Thanatos requested someone to guide the souls to the Underworld and Hermes here is the perfect candidate apparently," Tartarus explained while looking at Ares longingly, who looked at everywhere but him.

Zeus stood up in rage, slamming his fist on his armrest, and thunder rumbling outside the palace. "You can't just—"

"Sit down, golden boy!" Tartarus bellowed at the god-king, his eyes turning eerily fiery. "My king has spoken and his word is final!"

"Relax brother," Hades smiled coyly. "I am a good king. I will take good care of Hermes." He said before turning around towards the exit.

"You know I really wish I could curse someone." Tartarus started as he handed the package to the Erinyes, who dragged the god of thieves on the floor. Hermes' looked at the Olympians and shouted, his words muffled by the gag, but one can decipher through his expression alone that he was saying, 'Help me! Are you really just going to (censored) sit there and watch me get dragged away?!'

And they really did just watch. Ares even waved a pleasant farewell, silently grateful that he was safe from the creepy Pit god.

"That wasn't a real curse?" Hades replied, their conversation fading in the distance.

"No, that was part of the psychological torture!" the faint reply was barely heard. "You know what else? I don't think I ever want to go to the Upperworld anymore Aidon. It's too bright."

As soon as the doors closed, a black fire lit in the throne room, devouring Asclepius' corpse, leaving not a single drop of blood behind. It was as if there was no evidence of Hades' visit except for the missing Hermes and the missing crowd. From that day forth, a new fearsome rumor appeared in Mt. Olympus – Hades' name became synonymous with Tartarus.

* * *

A/N: I am very much heartened by the reviews I'm getting! Thank you for leaving reviews. They make my day and motivate me to write better and better every chapter. I feel like someone's patting me on the head everytime I see a new review :3 . Special mention to _Madame Thome _for reviewing every chapter I've written so far. I also want to give a shoutout to my editor _Muse of Deduction,_ the one responsible for fixing and polishing my chapters so beautifully! A round of applause for her, ladies and gentlemen!


	18. Birth of Spring

A/N: From this point on, the arc in Hades' life that everyone's been waiting for commences! Enter Kore/Persephone! Enjoy :D

* * *

Five decades after Leuce's death the Fates pulled a golden string. The three sisters collectively smiled and nodded their heads conspiratorially. _It is time_, they thought as they weaved the golden thread among the grand tapestry of the gods.

888

Zeus was feeling restless. It has been exactly five decades since Hera started ignoring and avoiding him, during which time, he was completely faithful. He wooed her, serenaded her, and made a bouquet out of stars from the heavens as he assured her that she was the only one in his heart and life. But she remained cold to all his advances and continued to deny him all access to any form of intimate touches let alone her bed.

He was a male god, _the_ male god with quite the reputation when it came to the bedroom, and was going against his nature for his wife and what did he get? He was deprived of anything even remotely sexual for fifty long years. The celibacy was driving him crazy! It would only be a matter of time before he broke if she kept challenging his control and authority. In the first place, he shouldn't even be begging for her attention – it should be the other way around. Her attention should be freely given and devoted to him and him alone. It was his right as her husband and king.

Now what? Hera demanded that he respect her decision and that decision was to avoid him. _Alright fine_, he thought. _If that is how she wants it then I'll _**_respect_ **_her and her distance. I'll just have to look for other more receptive women. And then, without fail, she'll come and take notice of me. _He gritted his teeth, walked to the balcony of his palace and looked down on the mortal realm where he found the perfect output for his frustrations.

If Hera would accuse him of cheating then he only had one answer: she brought it on herself.

888

Demeter was walking along her beautiful and fertile pastures, caressing the stalks of wheat and grain as she went along and turned them golden. After the humans harvested her works, they would celebrate and nourish her with their worship and offerings. She secretly attended the dances and songs in the guise of a human woman and had fun along with them. She loved her worshippers and was content to give them her presence, attention and affection. She treated the humans like her own children - if she had one - and made sure they never starved even through the harshest of winters. The humans loved their compassionate goddess and always revered her name before they ate. The goddess always provided for them and never could the mortals recall ever feeling the pangs of starvation.

After her duty, she decided to wash away the day's labor with a nice, warm open bath. When she emerged from the small pool, she found Zeus casually leaning against a tree and shamelessly eyeing her body appreciatively, a dark lustful look clouding his golden eyes.

Countless women started their tragic stories with the description of his eyes. She knew the signs and she knew what it meant. Ice seemed to run through her veins, terror gripped her heart. She immediately ran for her clothing, crudely tossing the drapes around her; and ran for her virginity, one thought screaming in her head – it was her turn. Her heart raced as she willed her feet to move faster and carry her away from the monster behind her. He would not have his way with her if she could help it!

Zeus smirked evilly when she ran and gave her a ten second head start. A chase seemed like a nice foreplay before the feast. He licked his lips and pursued her like a predator to his prey. He could smell her fear through the air and it aroused him. He felt a rush of power, of being in control whenever he strikes fear into another person's heart. The very thought excited him.

Demeter could imagine the quick, silent, and more experienced footfalls just right behind her. She could imagine what his crazed feral eyes must look like. Her imagination was running amok and it scared her out of her wits. _Faster, faster! _She demanded of herself. She was running with all her might and then some, pure terror fueling her every step.

The infamous enemy of all women was right behind her, the nightmare of every mortal and immortal woman happening to her. She knew that once Zeus caught her, it would all be over. Her life would be over. He would use her, break her, and destroy her life, just like all the women he had slept with. She didn't want to end up like all the other broken women. She would not be one of them! She would not be his next victim!

Tears clouded her vision and frightened sobs escaped her gasping mouth. She did not see the tree root protruding from the ground and tripped.

And by then it was all over.

888

_There is no such thing as a good brother_, Demeter thought to herself angrily as she searched for an uninhabited island which she could claim as her own. _They are all rotten to the core, the lot of them_.

She was placed in a miserable state. She was raped and pregnant with a bastard child. She was vulnerable and hated by her sister Hera because of something Zeus did, and now she and her child would always be a potential target for her sister's wrath. Demeter scoffed. In Zeus' world, the strong, powerful and forceful was always right and the victim of the crime was responsible for her own misery, for being weak and defenseless. It was a vicious world where the weak could not do anything but wither away and die.

But if they thought she would simply crumble, then they sorely underestimated her. She was neither weak nor broken. She was raised to be a strong and intelligent woman. She would rather not exist than be reduced into a sniveling, pathetic wench like the many women Zeus had destroyed through his uncontrollable desires. She planned to find an isolated island quickly, erect a barrier around it and hide until it was relatively safe.

Oh how she loathed Zeus with all her heart. She couldn't even begin to understand how Hera fell in love with such a…a brutish pig! He knew no self-control, shame or respect; only the pleasures of instant gratification. And he turned Hera, who was once her beautiful, kind and proud sister, into this unrecognizably bitter, jealous, cruel and angry woman. There was also the case of Hades and more recently, Poseidon, who now followed Zeus' example.

It's as if Zeus corrupts everything he touches.

It was clear that though the eldest brother inherited their father's looks, it was the youngest who inherited their father's personality.

Demeter remembered the day when Hera married Zeus. She was the picture of happiness, a woman who felt like a queen, a real queen floating in the clouds of ecstasy. She was deeply in love with Zeus. In fact, she loved him so much that it didn't take much for him to seduce her and wed her. They were happy…for a while. It didn't take long for Zeus to become bored with her and seek the comforts of another woman as he did before. Everyone knows that she was not his first bride. The first was Metis, whom he killed, and then Themis, whom he abandoned, and then there was Hera – and all were victims of Zeus' fickle lust.

But Hera firmly or rather, foolishly believed that she could change him and his ways through the power of her love. Demeter could feel that Zeus never loved any of his women. She wasn't even sure if he even knew the face of love. Instead he lusted after them. And when it came to lust, Zeus was nothing but a Satyr in a god's clothing. Women would resist Zeus' advances, or at least try, but what could they do against the king of the gods? What could they do against his trickery and show of power? He was so low and cowardly, it was absolutely disgusting.

And now she was the newest victim of his lust and even pregnant with their union. But she and her child were not safe at all. Hera must know by now of what happened and she would blame her for this. She would punish her because she cannot punish her husband. Hera would vent her anger on her innocent child just like she did for Zeus' other bastards! She must never lay her cruel eyes on her child.

And so she hid herself and carried her child in solitude, wary and paranoid that an attack could happen at any given time.

888

Demeter's labor was excruciating. She was sitting in a small pool of water, alone in a dark crevice between two cliffs, her body convulsing with pain. She didn't have Eileithyia or Artemis, the goddesses of childbirth supporting her. She hasn't even seen a live childbirth before. She was alone and utterly inexperienced in her anguish. Her ignorance brought her anxiety. _What if she did something wrong? What if the baby is hurt as soon as he or she is delivered?_ She was anxious and at the same time frightened. If she were too noisy there was a chance that Hera would find her and track her down and then snatch her child away from her as soon as he or she was born. Sweating, panting, crying and undergoing the most intense pain of her life, Demeter bravely swallowed all her screams of agony and suffered in silence.

After one last muffled scream, the baby came out. She immediately caught her and laid her to her breasts. As the baby took in her first breath, flowers began to bloom all around, extending throughout the entire island, as if welcoming the existence of a new deity. The little babe cried and whimpered in her arms.

"Shh, it's okay. It's okay. You're okay," Demeter sobbed, tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. When Demeter saw the face of her child, she was suddenly filled with an intense and indescribable happiness– the euphoria mothers alone experience after childbirth. All of her pain was made worthwhile if it was to bring such a beautiful being into existence. Her life has changed forever with the advent of her first child. Suddenly everything became secondary, even her own life was secondary to the needs of her child.

She couldn't stop crying and smiling like a fool as she tenderly bathed her baby in the pool, tracing and noting her delicate features. Her daughter had a lovely pair of shining green eyes, as green as a new leaf under the sun, a tuft of curly chestnut-brown hair on her head, and a lively aura full of vigor and new life. She knew at once that her daughter had inherited some of her life-giving qualities and became the goddess of spring. As she held her frail daughter in her arms and nursed her, she felt a deep instinctive desire to protect her from all the dangers of the world. Her little baby will never know of the horrors she knew. She will never experience being abandoned by her mother and being swallowed by her father. She will never experience being betrayed by loved ones or raped. Her daughter will never experience any pain if she could help it! All she will ever feel will be unconditional love – _her_ unconditional love. And she would remain innocent.

Her name will be Kore Carpophorus, which means girl or maiden and forever innocent, bringer of fruit.

When her little Kore was full, she finally stopped suckling and yawned cutely. Demeter laughed and hugged her baby tight, kissing her curled fingers and plump cheeks, singing to her the only lullaby she knew, taught to her millennia ago when they were still in the belly of her father. The moment Hypnos and Morpheus' names were summoned, both exhausted mother and satisfied babe slept peacefully with a smile on their faces.

A light orb slowly descended unto the pair and entered into the heart of the newborn.

888

Back in the Underworld, in a cave beside the river Lethe, two gods stood up, alarmed.

"Father!" Morpheus, the handsome, violet-haired king of dreams, looked sharply to his father who nodded knowingly. They have found it! All the denizens of the Underworld had secretly kept a sharp look out for the other key but they could not feel its presence unless it possessed a host. And now their searching had come into fruition. "What do we do now father?"

"I do not know," Hypnos replied, a little bit flustered and excited at the same time. At last, they will have their old lord back. He could almost jump for joy.

"Should we inform Lord Hades or Lady Nyx? Maybe Hecate or Uncle Thanatos?"

"I really do not know and this is really important. Perhaps we should consult the Fates."

"That is a wise decision," a three-in-one voice answered. They both jumped and turned around to find the three sisters suddenly standing behind them. They bowed in respect. "You will not inform anyone…that is not your fate…for all will come in good time…but that you may do, Morpheus. How rude, Hypnos."

And then they left – or vanished.

The god-king of dreams looked up. It seemed like the Fates had already anticipated all their questions and answered them before they can even speak a word. In fact the Fates had already given him permission for something before he could even formulate the idea they gave him permission to do, which he hadn't…yet.

Because _that_ makes sense.

"What were you thinking father?" Morpheus asked curiously.

"I wasn't thinking of anything in particular. Just that out of all of my sisters, they're the weirdest," his eyes widened in realization. "Sorry."

* * *

A/N: Without a doubt, I've always empathized with Demeter...


	19. Menthe

"My Lady, My Lord, do you know where Lord Hades is?" Themis asked Nyx and Erebus, who were sitting on the porch of the palace enjoying the view of the Asphodel fields with a couple of flasks of wine, generally enjoying each other's company.

"Oh dear, I do not know. Do you know where Aidon is love?" Nyx asked her husband.

"Well…I know but…that is…" Erebus started but was cut off when another presence barged into their conversation.

"WHERE IS HE?! He's late. He hasn't been coming to his lessons!" Tartarus shouted angrily as he kicked the door open.

"Aidon?" Erebus asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Lessons?" Nyx stared at her brother.

"Yes. He's been missing my torture lessons," he huffed as he crossed his arms. And then noticing Themis' presence for the first time, he asked, "You're looking for Aidon too?"

"Yes. He's also been missing my justice lessons, My Lord," Themis bowed respectfully. As far as primordial gods go, Themis had only seen her mother Gaea and even those meetings were sparse and few in between. Coming face to face with someone like the infamous Tartarus still made her a bit queasy. She had only been in the Underworld for a short time yet already most of its denizens warned her about steering clear of this mercurial god, so she tried her best to look as small as possible around him.

"Tch. What is that boy doing skipping school like this?" Tartarus scoffed. "I don't know if I should be proud of his rebelliousness or angry that he's rebelling against me! He's been missing for three days now."

"Please understand, he's exhausted," Erebus said. "We all know he hasn't been resting well."

"Oh," Nyx looked at him with a worried expression. "What has happened to Aidon? Do you know where he is now? Does he need me?"

She stood up immediately and was about to search for him when Erebus held her hand and shook his head discouragingly, "He's sleeping right now."

"But my Lord, I have checked his bedroom and I did not find his Majesty there," Themis interjected.

The god of Darkness looked towards the far-off horizon of the Asphodel plains and whispered solemnly, "In Elysium."

Tartarus sighed exasperatedly and ran his fingers through his flaming hair. "Her, huh?"

Erebus nodded. Nyx looked down at her hands with a pained expression.

Themis looked at the three gods perplexed, "Who is 'her'?"

"None of your business," Tartarus said coldly with a sharp look in his eyes. Themis immediately, frightfully bowed her head to avoid his gaze. Nyx looked even more downcast while Erebus averted his eyes uncomfortably. No one tried to explain it to the goddess of justice. They felt like it was not their place to do so.

"Nyx, I'm borrowing this guy for a bit," the Pit god grabbed Erebus' arm and without waiting for her permission, spirited the god of darkness to his rather large monstrous-looking abode on top of the highest peak beside the Phlegethon River where one can have a panorama of the entire layer. The mountain didn't look like a mountain but a collection of ominous dark red spikes lit by the fiery river. His castle was equally dark red like it's been soaking in mortal blood. Cerberus statues chomping down on mortal skeletons guarded its entrance, which were flanked by numerous statues showing rather horrific gruesome tortures. The inside of the house was equally horrifying. Like any proud grandfather, he had statues of all his grandchildren – the Hydra, Chimaera, Sphinx, Nemean Lion, and the list could go on and on. Yes, it was Tartarus' home sweet home and he prided himself of its internal and external décor.

The two gods locked themselves in a room with a very large window, which Tartarus called his viewing room where he sometimes lounges around to relax, basking in the suffering around him. "Listen, Dark," he started, grabbing his twin brother's shoulders and using the childhood nickname they used in private. He lowered his voice by an octave, effectively conveying the seriousness of the matter, "I'm getting tired of it. This _thing_ with Aidon has got to stop."

Erebus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I know what you are saying, Meanie. I've already tried talking to him, Nyx tried consoling him, and you tried distracting him but Eros' poison simply won't heal. Hypnos and Morpheus are doing the best they can now to at least put his heart at ease by showing him what he wants in dreams." He glared at the floor and curled his hands into a fist, "You haven't seen him like I have. When I entered Elysium…the sight of him peacefully sleeping underneath her tree with a smile on his face…it's…it's…there's no word for it. The only thing we can do is hope time can heal his wounds."

His twin paced around the room with a thoughtful look on his face. He looked out of his large window and gazed at the 'wonderful' view full of wailing and gnashing of teeth. He rested his hands on the sill and said, "Waiting won't do. If we continue waiting, there might come a day where he would refuse to wake up! We need to be _aggressive_ about this…"

A sudden giggling coming from the outside hall distracted both gods. Tartarus' eyes widened with horror to hear the hated sound while Erebus was just surprised he heard something other than screams in this layer.

"Who's laughing within my premises?!" Tartarus shouted as he opened the door and came face to face with his three maids Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. They immediately knelt down in reverence for their master.

"Forgive us, My Lord," the three of them said simultaneously.

"What were you laughing about?" Tartarus demanded harshly.

"This, my Lord," Alecto handed him a tablet with both hands. On it was a list of names of all the unmarried males in the Underworld with numbers written beside it. Erebus looked over his counterpart's shoulders and peeked at the tablet.

Every two hundred years, the Underworld would hold an event which they dubbed 'The Chthonic Games'. It's an event concocted by the bored nymphs for the bored nymphs and facilitated by the Five River Deities, with Styx being the main manager. There were no male participants because most men were, in a word, _busy_. They were so busy, some of them didn't even know of the games' existence, let alone care. But the nymphs were almost never busy and it bored them to death (if they could die).

Another curious fact, females also tend to outnumber the males in the Underworld thus they have enough 'manpower' to implement the games (and yet, despite the overwhelming number of women, most men in the Underworld were still virgins).

And because the games were created by women, it always started with a much anticipated popularity poll, where the nymphs would vote who their favorite unmarried god was. The rest of the games measured physical prowess such as archery, chariot racing, etc.

"It's already that time huh?" Erebus said. "So who's winning?"

"Thanatos, my Lord," Megaera replied.

"That bastard! He's been hogging first place five times in a row now. How come he's more popular than me? I'm not that bad looking," Tartarus looked at Erebus, seeking his acknowledgement.

"First of all, he's my son and he's no bastard. Second, no, you're not bad looking Tartarus, actually quite the opposite. You're just not a virgin like the others," _Besides my son really _is _that good-looking,_ he added mentally then searched the list for Hades' name. "Third place? That's an improvement."

"Heh. I guess coming out of the Judgment hall helped advertise himself. However your argument is invalid! Hypnos is more popular than Aidon and that guy has a son!" Tartarus pointed out. Erebus preened himself on being the father of the most desirable men in Hades.

"It helps that they're twins. But at least Aidon's more popular than Charon this time…" Erebus innocently remarked.

After that statement, he suddenly found his brother's fist slamming into his abdomen. Although the god of Darkness didn't mean to take a jab, Tartarus was the one directly below Charon.

"At least I'm _on_ the list. Are you girls participating in the games?" Tartarus asked as he tossed the tablet back while completely ignoring his brother, who was doubled over, coughing his guts out.

"Yes, my lord."

A flash of inspiration danced across his eyes. "That's it!" he snapped his fingers. "Erebus I have the perfect solution!"

"What?" the other hissed, finally straightening up.

"We need to find Aidon a new lover. Trust me," he whispered. "That overgrown chicken, who we call brother's poison, can be overcome when a new woman comes into the picture. I should know."

Erebus' eyes glazed over. The incident of Tartarus falling in love was something he was always uncomfortable remembering. And then recalling what he was actually saying, he asked, "A new lover? How?"

"Yes. We'll use these games. No, we'll add a new game," he rubbed his hands sinisterly, the scheme quickly forming in his mind. "A beauty pageant where we'll be the judges."

"Your mind sure works in mysterious ways….but a beauty pageant? With only the two of us? If we disagree who will be the arbiter?"

"I don't know. Recruit either Thanatos or Hypnos. We'll take the charm of one of those two and make it useful. Meg," he turned to Megaera. "Announce this new game. Make sure to mention that it is to find Aidon a new queen so all the girls will participate. Do NOT mention that we'll be the judges. It's important that our judgment is free from prejudice... On second thought, say it's only Thanatos." Then turning to Erebus he said, "We're recruiting Hypnos."

"I thought you said it was Thanatos?"

"It's his punishment for hogging first place!" Tartarus laughed maniacally, "Girls will suddenly attack him from all sides in an effort to gain his vote and he'll have no idea why. Don't even attempt to inform him! In the end, he'd have no choice but crawl on the floor just to shake the whole battalion of rabid females. Ha, ha, ha he'll regret winning the polls! I can see it now, ha, ha, ha, ha!"

888

Everyone knew how horrible it could be to be singled out by Tartarus. Over the millennia, anyone who's anyone had already been victimized –except Nyx. Thanatos was simply taking his turn…again. He was going on about his usual business, just walking from the temple of Fates and reviewing Atropos' list of souls to fetch when suddenly this really large pack of rabid nymphs ambushed him out of nowhere.

Normally Thanatos was a respected, untouchable god. It was highly unusual for the denizens of Hades to bother him and so he figured in the blink of an eye that someone from an obviously higher station had orchestrated this unusual situation. And only one god had the audacity to do this to him: his dastardly uncle. What had he done this time?

For the nymphs, what started as a simple 'please-notice-me-my-lord' devolved into 'I-want-a-piece-of-that-handsome-virgin-death-god' ! They tried to take advantage of the opportunity to touch the untouchable and get their hands on his everything – his clothes, his hair, his wings and his limbs. Some were even determined to rip his chiton off of him to expose his lean yet muscular physique. Ever so stoically, he tried to fight them off as gentlemanly as he could but they were too many and they kept coming back for more. It's as if all the nymphs in the Underworld surrounded him, which could very well be the case. In the end he had to take up to air to avoid the harassment and when he emerged, he looked like he'd been through a cyclone – his clothes ripped and his hair and feathers disheveled. Never had he been more grateful to be born with wings in his life.

But one nymph managed to stubbornly latch onto his leg like a stubborn leech and was lifted up with him.

"I only ask your vote, my Lord," the beautiful nymph smiled amicably before letting go.

_What vote?_ He thought. With a snap of his fingers, his appearance returned to its normal, prim and proper state. Then remembering his duties, he shrugged the strange matter behind and went to find Hermes.

Hidden behind a few black boulders, three gods watched the scene. Tartarus had a difficult time stifling his laughter and ended up convulsing with restrained chortles in a corner. Erebus was just as amused as his brother when he saw his son maintain his stony expression throughout the ordeal; though some parts were indeed cringe worthy. Hypnos timidly looked at the sexual harassment with horror. It was as if voracious piranhas were set against a single piece of meat –with the meat trying its best to not get eaten. He thought, _forgive me brother. I was threatened. Uncle said that if I did not agree, I would be thrown into the lion's den with you. Father also roped me in this too!_

The result? Only one nymph managed to impress all three of them. She had their attention and unanimous vote and was most memorable for being very beautiful, aggressive and determined enough to be able to hang onto Thanatos' leg.

888

There was a knock on Hades' bedroom door.

"Enter," he ordered. He had just finished his nap and was about to take a relaxing bath before he felt refreshed enough to go back to his duty.

The door creaked slowly. "Oh, you're back!" Tartarus whispered as he entered the antechamber cautiously, looking at the hallways behind him for any signs of anyone before pulling the nymph in.

Hades started as he saw who his visitor was. "Tartarus? Where did you learn how to knock?"

"Well hello to you too, Aidon. Look, I have a surprise for you." He pushed the nymph to the forefront. She was a very beautiful, dark haired, voluptuous woman wearing an asymmetrical, diaphanous chiton that practically didn't cover much. From her cherry lips to her smoky eyes, she was a natural seductress.

"Who is she?"

"This is a nymph. Something you can play with to take your mind off of…thoughts. You like it?" Tartarus said nudging the woman closer to him. "Don't worry. It's been well chosen."

"Please get her out of here."

"Ah, I had a feeling you were going to say that. Come on. Try it out for a few days first before you say no. It's a free trial – no strings attached." He placed his arms around Hades' shoulders like a sinister marriage broker.

Hades shook his head and peeled himself from the other god. "Please get her out."

"Aw." Tartarus clicked his tongue and looked at the nymph with narrowed, annoyed eyes. "Fine. I'll come back with a better one."

"Please lord Tartarus," the nymph said for the first time. "Allow me."

"Oh?" he smirked. "I knew I chose well. Well, I'll leave you two alone now!" And just like that, he was out of the door.

"I don't have time for this…" Hades started to follow the Pit god when he was suddenly stopped by a hand that grabbed his arm. Without turning to look at her, he said in a sharp cold voice, "Let. Go."

A shiver ran down the nymph's spine – a shiver of pleasure, that is. But she didn't let go. "My name is Menthe, daughter of Cocytus, your majesty," she said as she undid the clasps of her chiton and let the sheer cloth ripple to the floor. (Cocytus was one of the five river gods of the Underworld.)

"I do not care —" he was cut off when he finally turned around and found the naked woman, gloriously displaying all of herself to him.

"Please allow me…" she started as she brought her hand to his face, "To pleasure you…" she slowly neared her face to his, "…beyond imagination."

She kissed him passionately.

And he just stood there…frozen.

Unused to unwanted advances, Hades had no idea what to do. He tried to pry her away but she pulled him with her until they hit a wall. When her hand started to crawl to places he didn't want, he immediately, forcefully pushed her away from him.

She looked at him with surprised eyes, "Your majesty I—"

"Get away from me," he demanded.

"But I—"

Hades didn't even let her finish before he dragged her out of his room, threw her out to the halls and slammed the door behind her. He then proceeded to burn the sheer cloth the nymph left behind.

Menthe ran a hand through her long, wavy hair and smirked. _How naive. You may say no now but it will change very soon. Soon, you'll realize soon how much I've longed for you._ What started as a deep admiration for the powerful king turned into... something deeper. She admired him for his looks, his grace, his austere demeanor, his elegance…his power. When she heard of the opportunity to become queen, she immediately became determined to win the game, if only to be able to be near him. To be able to touch him, be near his presence, and breathe his breath however brief…brought her immense pleasure. She touched her lips, the memory of their kiss forever etched in her mind. However it won't definitely be the last.

When she turned to walk down the hall, she came face to face with Hecate. She bowed respectfully towards the goddess, who ignored the naked woman and continued walking. But when she reached the nymph's side she whispered with blatant contempt, "I do not presume to know what Lord Tartarus is thinking but unless you prefer to have your head still attached to your body, you best keep away from his majesty," before she continued to pass her by.

The daughter of Cocytus did not reply but merely smiled slyly.

_We shall see…_


	20. Inauguration

Demeter and Kore lived on their small hidden island happily. It was their small sanctuary where they can be as carefree as they want.

Every day, before Demeter went to work, she educated her daughter with anything from the art of plant making to the history of the gods. Kore was extremely intelligent, as befitting of a goddess, and soaked up the knowledge like a sponge. She was also extremely curious and inquisitive and Demeter gave her answers to all her questions except one – who her father was. As far as Demeter was concerned, Kore had no father.

One day, after intense concentration and practice, Kore made a beautiful, carefully crafted fire-red daisy bloom for the first time all on her own; and proudly presented the blossom to her mother, wearing a sweet smile that could outshine the beauty of any flower any earth goddess could produce. Every time Kore smiled with so much happiness, Demeter was filled with so much love, her heart could explode. She carefully preserved that first flower in amber and made a necklace out of it, which she never took off.

When it was time for Demeter to perform her duties, she would leave her little toddler under the care of a few, carefully selected nymphs. And then after making the harvest prosperous, she would immediately return to her daughter's side. She never dawdled or attended the worship the mortals offered to her anymore because all her free time was spent on one person only.

Mother and daughter would play games together and spend most of the time in each other's company. They would play hide and seek, tag, dance and sing, and when they tire of playing, make flower crowns for each other. The island would always echo with peals of their laughter.

And then at the end of each day, Demeter would tell her bed time stories, some were of the past events and some were make believe. And finally, before Kore shuts her eyes and succumb to Hypnos' magic, Demeter would sing the lullaby before kissing her goodnight. They always slept together, with Kore cradled in her mother's arms.

888

One day, Kore was chasing a butterfly with her mother strolling right behind her when an unwanted presence made itself known.

"How long did you think you could hide her, Demeter?"

Demeter immediately picked her daughter up and warily searched for the speaker.

"Mama? Who's the big bird?" Kore said pointing to the god perched on a tree branch above them.

"Hermes? You frightened me!" Demeter sighed in relief, clutching her chest to slow her speeding heart.

"Alright, first of all, I'm not a big bird," the messenger god somersaulted and landed perfectly upright in front of them. Kore clapped her hands and clamored for an encore. He bowed dramatically saying, "My name is Hermes, Little miss."

"Ar-mes!" Kore giggled. "Mama! He's the fly god!"

He looked extremely offended. "I'm no god of flies. Demeter what have you been teaching her?"

"She meant that you're the only one who can fly really fast," Demeter smiled.

Hermes smiled in return, "Ah that I can."

"What are you doing here?" she asked innocuously.

"Zeus thought his daughter was way overdue for an initiation ceremony," the messenger explained as he played with his caduceus. Demeter's countenance took an immediate change as she held her daughter tighter. Kore looked at her mother with confusion. It was her first time seeing such a fierce expression on her mother's face.

"Mama?"

"We're not going," she uttered through gritted teeth.

"You must. It's a direct order. Everyone's already been invited. If you don't come, you incur the wrath of the king," he replied simply, putting his hands behind his back.

Demeter clenched her fists in fury. She cursed her powerlessness against the king of the gods and answered rather bitterly, "Fine."

888

"Here boss." Hermes handed a small scroll with the seal of Zeus to Thanatos. Ever since Hermes began working under the death god, he became much more comfortable with him. Where he previously thought them all to be man and/or god-eating, ruthless monsters, the Underworld folks were not that bad once he got past their cold façade. The only thing that actually peeved the death god was truancy. It seems as if everyone below took their duties a little…absolutely seriously. Everything was clockwork down there, more clockwork than Apollo and Artemis' duties to raise and set the heavenly bodies. A stark contrast to the easy lifestyle he was used to on Mt. Olympus.

He received a severe scolding once when he was late in guiding the souls and caused a delay of some sort in some process or another. The wrath of the god of death was…very frightening, to put it nicely and he never wanted to experience it ever again. Even though all Thanatos did was bristle his feathers a little and _glare_ silently at him, that _glare_ haunted his nightmares for months (the glare was composed of two black voids just staring at him). He thought he was doomed and that his soul would be extracted like a dead mortal and then shipped off to Tartarus. And as someone who had actually seen _that demented god _it was a horrible, horrible thought.

On the bright side, when Thanatos took him under his wing (figuratively), he straightened him up and improved his work output by forcing the thief god to be more organized with his schedule. It was also around the same time that Hermes' heists became more elaborate and planned instead of just relying on his sheer speed to out run any pursuers. His success rate inevitably increased.

As the usual victim of said heists, Apollo deeply resented that.

"What is this?" the god of death asked, taking the scroll after he extracted the soul from an old man lying cold on the street.

"The usual – a note for your king," he then motioned to the newly risen shade. "As for you, get in line." He pointed to the line behind him where a queue of dead souls waited for the messenger god to show them to the entrance of the Underworld.

"I dread the arrivals of these notes. Nothing good seems to come from them." He tucked the scroll inside his belt and extracted Atropos' list as he searched for the next soul to take.

"Well I hope this one is an exception," Hermes scratched his nose sheepishly. "It's the initiation of Demeter's daughter. A new goddess will now be formally introduced to our godly circle. I can't wait!"

"Is there something special about this goddess?"

"Hmm? I don't know. I'm just excited because there will definitely be a party. Is…is Lord Hades really going to come though?" He still couldn't forget the day he was kidnapped by the god of the Underworld. How could he? He almost cried that day. But at least he had never seen his brooding uncle since.

"His Majesty's decision is not mine to predict. You may now attend to your duties," Thanatos said before flying off, leaving the messenger god to escort the long queue of souls.

"Tch. Always so formal."

888

Hades was in the middle of judging souls at a rate of one soul per five minutes, with Themis occasionally guiding him when Thanatos entered the judgment hall.

"To Tartarus!" Hades' last judgment echoed.

"My Lord," Death bowed before his king.

"What is it Thanatos?" he said, delaying his next judgment in favor of an immediate audience with his right-hand minister.

"A message from Zeus," he replied, handing him the small scroll. In the realm below, there was an unwritten understanding that no one really respected Zeus enough to call him by his title. He was generally referred to by his name alone, or as 'golden boy' or as 'that guy'. "It's an invitation to the inauguration of Demeter's daughter."

"What?!" he exclaimed as he stood up. He looked at Themis, who nodded in understanding. Hades dismissed himself from the hall and proceeded to lead Thanatos to his study. He closed the doors to his study to ensure privacy before he interrogated the god of death.

"Tell me everything."

"I have told you all I know, Your Majesty," he replied.

"Who is Demeter's husband? When was her wedding? What is the name of her child? Do you not have any of that information?" he fired the questions quickly as he opened the note. All it said were the usual three words, 'come join us'. He growled as he angrily threw the useless scroll into his study's burning fireplace.

"No, Your Majesty."

Well he guessed it didn't matter. It's just…shouldn't the suitor be introduced to him at least before the wedding as her guardian? He felt like his role as the elder brother had been overlooked. Long ago, before Hera wedded, Zeus asked him for permission to marry her because he was her guardian. Looking back, agreeing to that was a grave mistake but it cannot be undone, for Hera ultimately became the goddess of marriage because of him.

Maybe no one considered him an elder brother anymore. Maybe Zeus was now Demeter's guardian. There was a small pinch he felt in his heart at the knowledge that he'd been replaced by Zeus. He smiled bitterly. _And that's utterly understandable._ Nevertheless, he needed to see both Demeter's child and husband.

"I shall attend."

888

Hades surveyed the meeting hall like a phantom unseen by any god. As usual, the party already initiated before the goddess of harvest and her daughter had even arrived. He watched as the gods lay in their couches, eating grapes and drinking wine, women surrounding all the men but Zeus. Apollo enchanted the women with his silver tongue and lyre, Ares awed Aphrodite and his audience with his stories of past battle glories, while Hermes enraptured his with his lively retelling of his adventures and heists. He couldn't find Athena or Artemis yet.

He sneered at their display.

He didn't want to sit on his plain grey throne in Mt. Olympus that was situated on Zeus and Hera's right. He wasn't used to being surrounded by easy-going people. Everything they do rubbed him the wrong way – from the way they sat, the way they talk and down to the way they ate – the lack of orderliness irked him. He wanted to be away from the noise, the scent of wine, and the sight of debauchery. Instead of a throne room where official business was supposed to be conducted, it practically looked like a mortal brothel! He, who was used to running a stolid government, found his surroundings distasteful. Only Hestia and Hera managed to politely join the festivities but at the same time look elegant. They were the sight for sore eyes but they were horribly outnumbered. So he looked for a place where he could be alone, away from the vulgar, licentious crowd.

He ended up in Hera's quiet maze garden.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, reveling in the sweet scent of fresh air, apples and flowers. He observed the carefully pruned golden apple trees and tall, thick hedges. The carefully molded maze garden had summarized Hera and her desire for control nicely. The very notion of shaping nature itself to her liking was so audacious yet fitting of her. Ever since they were children, she always hated to lose. And being married to Zeus unfortunately locked her in an eternal struggle for control, both similarly domineering of each other. They teetered on this balance beam with their hands locked while they wrestled the other into submission, neither backing down – the peacock versus the eagle. He knew that one day that carefully kept balance would break, if it wasn't already crumbling, and both would truly fall.

But that was none of his business anymore.

Suddenly a small body bumped him from behind and landed on the floor with a thud. He turned around and saw a toddler with wavy chestnut brown hair and light green eyes. She looked familiar but Hades was positive he had never seen the girl before. The child slowly raised her head, her eyes trailed up his form until they found his. She had the clearest green eyes he ever saw, clearer than a polished emerald, full of innocence and life.

_Impossible. _He was wearing his helm. He should be invisible to anyone not permitted to see his form. How could the child see past his mask of invisibility? The girl stood up and dusted herself, and then looking at the dark god, she raised her finger to her lips, motioning for him to be quiet. Hades slowly mirrored the action while cocking his head to the side in a confused manner, which made her giggle.

So she _could_ see him. The question was _how_?

"Kore? Where are you?" Demeter's sing-song voice called playfully.

The little girl gasped and hid behind him, using his invisible form like a pillar. She even crouched down and drew his robe around her, as if it would help.

"I found you!" Demeter laughed as she moved to pick her up. Hades immediately stepped aside so as not to be discovered. The little girl looked up at her mother incredulously. How did she find her so quickly? She searched for the dark stranger and pouted angrily at him as if it were his fault that she was found. Hades raised an eyebrow.

It was then that she began to reach for him.

"What's the matter Kore?" Demeter asked. Kore grunted and pointed at Hades direction. "There's nothing there baby. Come, let's go back." With the little girl in her arms, she began to walk to the Olympic Parthenon.

The dark god turned and left in the opposite direction and headed for the Parthenon through a different route. Kore's pout grew deeper as she watched him walk away, never taking her eyes off him until he was out of sight.

888

"Stand straight, Kore. You are my precious daughter and no one will say otherwise," Demeter kissed Kore's forehead. Kore nodded in reply and stood as tall as her little stature would allow before her mother stood up and waited for their presence to be announced. And then the magnificent golden doors to the Olympian courtroom opened…

"Lady Demeter, goddess of Harvest, enters," Hermes announced. Both mother and daughter sauntered in. When they were a few paces from Zeus' dais, they curtsied. Kore's eyes looked around the room with wide eyed wonder. It was her first time coming to Mt. Olympus and everything dazzled her, literally and figuratively. The bright lights and golden ornaments which reflected the light adorned almost every corner of the palace. But out of all the shimmering sights a lone, plain, and gray empty throne grabbed her attention the most. Because when everything was shining, only that which doesn't shine tends to stick out like a sore thumb. She smiled at the empty chair and even waved a little.

"Demeter and…" Zeus' eyes lowered to the little tot behind the skirts of his sister, "… my daughter," he smirked. Demeter immediately looked up and glared maliciously at Zeus. Hera, who was sitting beside Zeus, threw her own dagger glares at Demeter and her child. There was obvious tension between the three gods.

"Traitor," Hera muttered darkly under her breath. Whether her words were meant for her husband, her sister or both, one can only guess.

"_My _daughter has no father. She is mine and mine alone and her name is Kore. Get that right," Demeter said in a controlled tone but the underlying rage was evident.

Zeus tutted, "Demeter, Demeter," he smiled dangerously. "What a poisonous tongue you have…for a concubine."

Demeter took a step back. She was very much slighted while Hera looked at her husband with surprise. _Concubine? One of the Twelve Olympians reduced to a mere concubine?_ And it was so openly declared too. Zeus extended an open hand to the pair and said, "Come to me, your father, Kore."

_That _more than anything made the goddess of harvest snap. "SHE IS NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" she screamed, shocking all the Olympians. Kore even took a frightened step back, tears forming on her emerald eyes. She had never seen her mother angry, let alone _this_ angry.

_How dare he?! HOW DARE?! _When Demeter looked down and saw her daughter in tears, she immediately regretted her actions and picked her child up, rubbing her hand along Kore's back soothingly. "I'm sorry, Kore. I'm not mad at you."

"You dare raise your voice at me?" Zeus raised an eyebrow, and then leaning his head cockily on a fist, he continued, "You should be punished for that insolence."

"Hmm," a voice that everyone recognized and dreaded hummed, effectively cutting Zeus from declaring a punishment. They all looked around and anxiously searched for the origin of the voice. Most were already conditioned that when _he _whose name could not be said aloud entered the Olympian courts, nothing good seems to happen. Why is that…really? Was he the male version of Eris, the goddess of discord, huh? They knew not and could only brace themselves.

Hades revealed himself already sitting comfortably on his throne. This god was also the god of ghosts it seems, truly worthy of his name 'the Unseen'. He was like a phantom!

"L-lord Hades…" Ares started. "We didn't know you were here."

"Hn. I've been here a few times, dropping by and leaving as I wish. It makes you wonder doesn't it? If my empty throne really is…empty," he smirked at the war god.

"What are you doing here?" Apollo asked without thinking. He was partly mad at this god for the demise of his son even though the one who technically killed Asclepius was Zeus.

He ignored that and directed his attentions to the little girl who never took her eyes off of him from the beginning. "Demeter, your daughter Kore is the goddess of…?"

"Spring," was her terse reply.

He nodded. "And you were not wedded." It was a statement not a question but it was humiliating all the same. And the answer was so glaringly obvious, one had to wonder why state such a thing in the first place.

"…no," Demeter answered with eyes downcast.

He scoffed, "I see." He then stood up, "The initiation of a bastard child borne out of wedlock through another concubine…" turning around he continued, "…this has been another huge waste of time."

"Hades!" Artemis stood up angrily, slapping her palm on her armrest as she did. It was utterly atrocious of him to demean the goddess of harvest like so.

The dark king spared his niece a glance. "Do not direct your anger at me, goddess of the moon. I merely stated a fact. Turn your wrath to the one who degraded her so in the first place." And with that he simply disappeared. The sad fact was, even though Artemis knew Hades was right, she, or anyone else for that matter, could not openly blame Zeus for this. Still, he didn't have to be so mean about it!

Those were the greatest barbed words Demeter ever heard from her brother. It was so impersonal and so straightforward that he might as well have stabbed her mercilessly through the heart. To add more salt and lime juice to the wound, Hera also stood up and disappeared without a word too, mirroring Hades' actions and sentiments. Hestia and Poseidon looked at their sister with sympathy, both wanted to run and comfort their sister, but they couldn't say or do anything without further damaging their sister's pride. Zeus on the other hand, scoffed at their immature display and continued the initiation ceremony as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. With a welcoming, sincere, kind and fatherly demeanor, he gave Kore a drink of ambrosia from a ceremonial chalice and formally ordained her in the godly circle as a minor deity.

Immediately after the ceremony was done, Demeter spirited her daughter away. That was the greatest humiliation she had ever received in her life! But they could say all they wanted but she would never regret having Kore!


	21. Damsels and Dragons

AN: Surprise! An early update! Wanna guess why?

* * *

Kore slowly opened her eyes, waking to the calls of the morning birds and the light of dawn shining through her window. For almost two centuries, she had the same dream every night. It would have been an odd dream had she other dreams to compare it to. It always started the same way, with the same darkness around her, and the same narrow stone path in front of her. As usual, she'd tread the path and always end up in the same place.

No, more like the same grave.

At the end of the road, there was a man entombed in a really huge, really thick glowing crystal, a crystal as blue as ice. But its glow was nothing compared to the light that seemed to radiate from her body in this dreamland. His crystal coffin was tied by thousands of black chains that extended and faded out to the darkness around, as if it became one with the darkness or it came from the darkness itself. When she was young and curious, she always made the mistake of touching the crystal or the chains and then her dream would end only to repeat again. So she learned to sit in front of it, never touching the crystal prison. And then she would proceed to tell him stories of her daily activities, her feelings and her thoughts, anything to keep him company.

She had already memorized every detail of the man in the crystal. A man that looked like he was sleeping peacefully in suspended animation, his long dark hair fanned around him like he had been swimming in water before he was crystallized, framing his handsome face beautifully. His equally dark robes with silver and gold accents billowed around him, like the petals of a flower. Yes, he was like a magnificent black lily preserved in ice.

Even when awake, she could effortlessly conjure his image and all its contours. Had she known how to paint, she would have been able to jot down every detail, down to how many eyelashes he had.

It was only natural that she had always wondered who he was and why he haunted her dreams so. But mostly she felt sadness for him. What must he have felt, chained and locked away in ice and darkness? If she were in his situation, she would have felt cold and lonely. Perhaps in a way, she thought, maybe her presence could ease some of his loneliness even if he didn't seem to be aware of her. Maybe her light was there to bring warmth and illumination to his darkness. But she could never be certain. It's as if there was a message in her dreams that she couldn't grasp no matter how much she pondered. Through the years though she began to accept her dreams as it is and let it not bother her during her waking hours.

She disrobed her sleeping garments and dressed in her usual modest summer white tunic and rushed out of her own room. She greeted her mother good morning with a peck on the cheek and helped her prepare their breakfast.

"Mama," she began just as they finished eating. "I'd like to go to the west. The cold north air had just left it and the land is just warm enough for life to begin and ripe for my intervention. Is that alright?"

Demeter chuckled. "If you keep spreading spring everywhere, you'll soon drive the god of winter away permanently."

"Ah! That is not my intention…" Kore pouted. "Does that mean I cannot go?"

"It's a yes as long as you take maybe a nymph or two with you."

"Yes!" Kore cheered and tackle-hugged her mother, "I love you mama! Don't worry. I'll take Ianthe and Chryseis with me and then I'll be back before sundown!"

"I love you too Kore. If you need me, I'll be in Sparta, spreading harvest," she replied before Kore let her go. She kissed her daughter's forehead saying, "You know the rules."

"Yes. I'll be wary of strangers…and men," Kore winked, smiling coyly.

"I'm serious!" Demeter said with a frown.

"Yes mama. I know. Look, I'm strong," she made a playful show of her nonexistent biceps. "I'm a big tough girl like Artemis see? So try not to worry too much or it'll ruin your beauty!" she laughed curtly.

"You cheeky little…! Alright," Demeter sighed. "You may go now but _be safe_," she uttered solemnly like a prayer.

Kore smiled in appreciation and waved goodbye before she was out of the door. "Be safe too mama!"

888

Two hundred years the nymph Menthe pined for Hades but her efforts were always foiled by the wretched witch goddess! If only she were of the same station as Hecate then she would have had her vengeance. An eye for an eye!

On the other hand, Hecate could never kill the nymph no matter how much she wanted to because the damn wench was under the careful watch of Tartarus. Thus she could only make Menthe suffer in small ways such as setting fire to her clothing or dousing her with water during one of her more almost successful attempts at seducing the king. Every time these two would meet, one could almost see the animosity between these two take the form of lightning.

But of course, Hades was caught right in the middle of it all.

"My lord, is something wrong?" Themis asked Hades who looked forlorn. Hades did not answer but heaved a deep sigh instead. So the goddess of justice directed her inquisitive look to Thanatos who seemed to always know everything about the king.

"He's currently caught in an elaborate scheme orchestrated by Tartarus," the god of death replied matter-of-factly for the king.

"I don't understand!" Hades whispered as he ran his hand across his face in exasperation. "Despite my forward rejection, this nymph won't leave me be. I do not want to punish her because Hecate's shenanigans are doing the job for me. But she must be daft."

"You mean that nymph?" Themis subtly pointed to the woman peering behind a pillar. How she could see anything past the blindfold though was still a mystery.

When Hades turned to look, Menthe smiled seductively and began hitching her skirt to show her shapely legs. Suddenly a rain of cast iron pans magically materialized above her and fell on her head, immediately stopping her from doing anything further. Even though the witch goddess was nowhere near the throne room, her curse was active.

"Yes, that nymph," Hades turned to Themis and sighed, "And it's been going on for centuries. It's utterly ridiculous."

"Forgive me, my lord. If she weren't under Tartarus' protection, I could have taken care of such an insignificant matter easily," Thanatos answered.

"Don't mind it. It couldn't be your fault."

Still the death god felt bad for his sovereign. "As an alternative though, would you like to take a break from your duties?" he suggested. Hades looked at his minister thoughtfully then back to the nymph noisily digging her way out of the pile of pans. Perhaps a break might be in order.

"Um…I'd like to take a break too. To the Upperworld if you don't mind," Themis muttered shyly. "I haven't seen the light of Helios for a long time."

Thanatos slowly turned to the goddess of justice, his eyes narrowed in a warning glare but Themis didn't seem to notice.

"Hmm. That seems like a fine idea. Alright, I'll accompany you," Hades replied as he stood up from his throne.

"But my lord!" Thanatos blurted. But when his king turned to face him and waited for him to continue, he couldn't. Instead he said weakly, "I'll…I'll prepare your chariot." He was having a horrible sense of déjà vu. Last time, it was he who suggested he take a break to the Upperworld and then everything snowballed, no, _avalanched_ from there. But history shouldn't repeat itself so, right? Hopefully this trip would be uneventful.

Hades nodded and appointed the three judges and his minister to take over for a while. Themis gratefully took her blindfold from her eyes and kept her other judgment tools in their proper places in her private quarters before she joined Hades for their journey to the Upperworld.

And, as the Fates willed it, they emerged on the west side of Greece.

888

Kore was traipsing alone along the forest floor with a slight jolly bounce in her steps. The two Oceanid nymphs she had brought with her decided to play near a stream and patiently wait for their mistress to finish her duties.

Soon she started to dance to the chorus of the birdsongs and the drums of beating branches. She danced among the dry vegetation, putting new leaves on trees and blossoms on every stalk. Multitudes of creatures big and small emerged from their long winter sleep to find their other half to create a new life with. She would pick a newly opened blossom and blow life on it, its petals scattering and transforming into colorful butterflies that would pollinate the other blooming flowers. Her laughter and song would create new sprouts from the ground. How very satisfying her job was as the goddess of spring and new life.

But then she made the mistake of passing across a cave, her laughter and song waking the slumbering beast within it. A pair of gleaming dark red eyes opened and glared at the offending goddess. It growled threateningly, hoping that that was all it took for the goddess to stop making that noise and let it return to sleep, but Kore was too engrossed in her song that she didn't hear its warning.

It was then that the beast emerged from its cave to demand its silence.

For Kore, she was just plucking flowers from the grass and singing when suddenly a large shadow encompassed her form from behind. At first she thought it was just a cloud blocking the sun but then she heard a snort and a mist of hot breath touched the back of her neck, telling her it was not a cloud but a creature. A very, very close creature.

She turned around, thinking it was just an angry bear or an equally large beast and was just about to calmly placate it…but it wasn't a bear. No, it was one of the rare monsters of the Upperworld, a dragon!

This dragon might have been fifteen feet tall, easily twice her height, its long snout pulled back to show its sharp, cruel fangs. Its red angry eyes glowed in contrast to its dark shiny scales that covered its whole body except its wing membrane and its claws that could tear her to shreds in a minute.

She slowly straightened up, flowers forgotten, her hands extended in front of her, gesturing for the dragon to calm down. The dragon growled softly and she squeaked in reply. And then it growled even louder. With the dragon showing no desire to be appeased, and Kore feeling decently threatened enough, she could only do what a smart, clever and powerful goddess would – run and scream for help. The dragon was rattled by her screams, the sound of it jarring against its consciousness. Highly annoyed by her incessant noise-making, and fueled by its need for silence, the dragon gave chase. In hindsight, it could have run in the opposite direction of the noise-maker…but no.

Kore ran, screaming for help while the dragon ran after her, roaring for silence. Chryseis and Ianthe responded quickly to see what the matter is but when they saw the dragon, they were equally frightened. They screamed louder and ran faster than their mistress, leaving her behind in their dust. But who could blame them? What could two fragile nymphs do against a galloping ton of jaw, teeth and claws?

The dragon roared irritably when the noise multiplied.

888

"Alright, Themis, I leave my chariot with you," Hades said, handing the reins of his fastest horses to the goddess.

"My lord?" Themis took the reins reluctantly. She only recently learned how to drive a chariot after being coerced by the nymphs to drive one but she was still nervous around the horses all the same.

"They will take you anywhere you want. And if you wish to stay longer in this realm, then you have a week," he instructed as he jumped off the chariot. "And when you're ready to descend, you can use any of the known portals to the Underworld. But in case of an emergency, use this," he took her hand and placed a black gem on it. "Toss it on the ground and it will temporarily open a path to Chthonius for you. Ah! And when you find something you fancy in the mortal realm," he produced a fat red pouch, which jingled with obvious treasuries, and placed it on top of the gem in her hand. "Use that."

An image of a mother hen crossed Themis' mind but she immediately brushed it away. "You are very thoughtful your majesty, thank you," she bowed gratefully with a huge smile on her face. If she were to compare the treatment she received in Zeus' courts to Hades' courts…there was no comparison. Being a servant to the king of the Underworld was definitely much better than being a consort to the king of the gods. Although she was not an official resident of Hades, she was happy enough to be partially included as a chthonic goddess.

"Hn. Don't think much of it. You are just one of my many subjects; it's only natural that I look after you. Now go," he replied sternly.

She nodded in understanding and drove the chariot away. He watched her disappear from sight, sighed, and donned his invisibility mechanism to prevent mortals from accidentally seeing him; before taking an easy stroll through the green forest, walking opposite from the direction Themis took.

Though he kept his eyes down to avoid as much of Helios's light as possible, he reveled in the other luxuries Gaea offered. He appreciated the fresh fragrant breeze that caressed his form, the unusual but warm rays of the sun filtered through the clouds, the symphony of birdsongs, the faint thunderous roar of an animal, and the frantic screams of frightened women.

…Wait, what?

A screaming nymph suddenly emerged from the thick vegetation and ran past him. Two seconds later, another one did the same. He looked towards them with obvious confusion before five seconds later; somebody tackled his invisible form to the ground.

Invisibility has its drawbacks if one does not pay attention.

The slight shaking of the ground turned into rumbling when he saw what exactly the women had been running from. The beast emerged from the foliage, its powerful legs trampling on the ground. It would have trampled on them too had Hades not clutched the woman and rolled themselves out of the way as quickly as he did.

The dragon, when it realized that its prey was missing, took a sharp turn and skidded along the ground. Hades canceled his invisibility, revealed himself to the beast, and expected the dragon to recognize him…not open its maw and prepare to shoot its flame. He immediately got up and extended an open hand. Without a second thought, both shot their flames at the same time, the powerful red and black fires meeting perfectly in between, fanning and fluctuating violently where it met. The forest caught some of its tongues and burst into flame.

Never before had Kore seen a more astounding fire display in her life.

"Delphyne, daughter of Typhon, heed my voice!" Hades began. "It is I, your master!"

The dragon blinked and slowly retracted its flame with Hades doing the same. They stared in silence at each other for a while before the beast roared and bowed before the king. With a sigh of relief, Hades extended his hands and, with a quick graceful twirl, extinguished the forest fires. He then approached the dragon and patted its head.

"Hn. So this is where you've been. You've been missing for two hundred and fifty years that I thought you were killed by Zeus," he said. Delphyne sighed in delight, enjoying Hades' ministrations. Had Cerberus been there, his fur would have turned red with envy.

Kore, assuming that the situation was relatively safe, got up and dusted herself. When she looked back up, she saw her mysterious silver-haired, masked savior staring intently at her. She smiled, saying "Thank you."

Hades didn't avert his hard gaze. There was something familiar about this woman, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"I-I'm alright," Kore muttered, looking down shyly.

He scoffed, "How presumptuous. I didn't ask." Then retuning his sights to the dragon, he continued, "Come Delphyne. I'll take you home. Your grandfather and your siblings will be glad to know you're alive."

Both master and beast began to walk away when Kore called, "Wait!"

Hades paused and waited for her to continue.

"I-I'm Kore, daughter of Demeter. What's your name?" she asked.

He immediately turned around and looked her straight in the eye. Finally he found out why she was so familiar. It was those clear green eyes, made clearer by the way it caught the light of Helios that brought forth memories to the surface like a bubbling fount. _So the little toddler has already grown up,_he thought absently.

"My name is Aidoneus..." he answered, equally without thought, though his eyes widened the moment he uttered his name. How could he give away the name only those close to him were allowed to say? He cursed himself for his careless slip of the tongue.

To add insult to the injury, the woman giggled saying, "The Unseen? That's a funny name."

"It's not as funny as yours, _girl,_" he mocked.

Kore stopped laughing and frowned. "Hey, I happen to like my name. Yours doesn't even make sense!"

Hades smirked and activated his mask-helm, "Hn. Can you still see me?"

"Did you go anywhere?" Kore answered with a raised eyebrow.

_What?! How?_ He remembered that his power of invisibility didn't work on this goddess however he also thought that it was a fluke, perhaps something that would vanish over time. And now, the thought that his ability still doesn't work on this goddess disturbed him on so many levels. However, he reasoned, she couldn't be that much of a threat. Yes, he'd be more worried if his abilities didn't work on Zeus.

But the dragon, which had been quiet during the entire exchange, looked for him, thinking she was suddenly left behind. Hades, sensing its distress, lifted his ability and petted its head comfortingly once more. And then remembering what he was doing before he was stopped by the goddess, he began to turn around again.

"Wait!"

He sighed exasperatedly to himself but humored her. "What?"

"It was…nice to meet you, Aidoneus," she said smilingly to the back of the aloof god. "Thank you again, for saving me. Oh! And it was nice to meet you too, Delphyne!"

The dragon snorted in reply while he spared her a glance and a brief nod before looking forward again. It should have perturbed him how a total stranger could utter his name as if they were close. But somehow…somehow he could let this one go. Somehow…it was alright for his name to pass through her lips like that. It was…alright.

Without a word, he continued on his way, bringing the dragon home to the Underworld with him. He sighed. Unfortunately, it looked like his vacation was cut short.

888

Eros, like the omnipresent Death, lurked in the shadows. He, who had been waiting for this opportunity to make up for his past mistake, smirked evilly to himself. From his wings he plucked a feather (another one immediately growing in its place) and it transformed into a golden arrow. He notched the arrow on his gold bow, pulled the string back as far as it could, aimed true...

_This time, this time for sure!_ He thought.

…and fired!

Success! The arrow disappeared into Hades' back and reached its target. Eros thought he did a job well done and left the premises in a happy mood. _That was easy,_he thought to himself. If he stayed, he would notice that something was very wrong and that the arrow's effects were taking a strange turn as it battled against the chains and miasma from his previous arrow that occupied Hades' crowded heart.

…And everything _avalanched_ from there.

* * *

AN: How obsessed am I with dragons? Hmm... that's tough. Well if dragons somehow suddenly became real and wanted to eat me, I'd take out a notebook and pen and ask, "Do you want me roasted or stewed?"

And so when I heard that Greek Myths had dragons, what does a pathologically-obsessed dragon fanatic do? You guessed it. Besides... I thought it was a good way for Kore and Aidon to meet don't you?


	22. Wedding Plans

AN: Enjoy my Father's Day chapter! (It's the reason for the early update).

* * *

Themis looked at Hades, who paused in the middle of judgment. He had this blank, speculative, glassy-eyed look that was highly unnatural for him. He was sort of…daydreaming. She had never seen him daydream before because he was always focused and determined at the task at hand. What could be bothering him? This odd change in behavior, which started since his return from his vacation in the Upperworld, was recurring more often recently, and it was absolutely worrying.

"My lord?" her voice snapped him from his reverie.

"Hmm?" he replied as he inhaled loudly, his eyes slowly focusing.

"Are you…feeling alright?" she asked worriedly.

He looked straight ahead at the shade in front of him, and brushed her concern away. "I'm alright. Let's continue the judgment," he sighed.

"You look unwell, my lord. Please, if you need rest, I shall take care of the court matters."

Has it gone so out of control that even his jury had noticed his change in behavior? It has been three months. Ever since that meeting, Kore had haunted his waking hours for three months straight. For a sleepless god, that was not good. And that wasn't all. What could possibly be worse? He didn't even know why he thought about her!

Plain and simple, he wanted to see her. But he couldn't. So every night (morning in the above world), he would spend at least five minutes scrying for her image in his wine goblet when he thinks his jury wasn't looking; just watching her spread life on Gaea. In the beginning it was a minor inconvenience, a mere distraction, nothing painful. But now apparently it was affecting his entire performance.

He needed to get rid of this unnatural and unbecoming desire to see her. He needed to clear his head quickly! And so he grudgingly dismissed himself, leaving the court matters entirely to the goddess and her assistants, and marched to the river Acheron.

888

"Hey! What are you doing?" Tartarus called Hades from the banks of Acheron. The king was seated on a boulder, under a waterfall, and seemingly in deep meditation. He looked around and saw a few river nymphs peering and eyeing the king with shameless desire, and smiled lewdly. "If you're trying to seduce the daughters of Acheron then you're succeeding!"

He cracked his eyes slowly and muttered in a pained voice through gritted teeth, "Go away."

"I give up. What is that boy doing?" the Pit god looked down and asked the river.

A head made of water slowly rose from the river, which Tartarus identified as the river god Acheron, and answered in a bubbly voice, "I don't know, my lord. He just asked me to take his immunity to pain away a while ago and sat on that boulder. He hasn't moved since."

"You mean he's in pain?" Tartarus asked incredulously, his eyes widened comically as if the very concept was incomprehensible. "Oh, the horror!"

He immediately rushed to his nephew, walking on water as he did because even the clear waters of Acheron avoided the god of Tartarus. When he stopped in front of Hades, he asked in his most serious tone, "Have you gone insane?"

Hades didn't answer.

That worried Tartarus even more. His apprentice couldn't be a masochist! He just couldn't. That would break his dream to make the perfect sadist out of him! It'll break his dream…and his unprepared heart! "Tell me!" he desperately shook his shoulders.

He immediately brushed the hands which held him and roared, "I am not insane! I'm just…" he hesitated but answered anyway, "trying to forget."

"Ah!" the other breathed a sigh of relief. "Well in that case, you're on the wrong river. The river Lethe is right across —"

"I know where the river Lethe is. What do you take me for?" Hades groaned and looked away. The water ran down his silver hair, effectively concealing his expression as he whispered dishearteningly, "It's just that…at the same time…I don't want to forget. So instead I'm preoccupying myself with the sensation of pain."

"This is getting ridiculous. Forget what, exactly?" the Pit god placed his hands on his hips pretentiously.

"…her," he forced himself to say.

Tartarus took a step back, the wheels in his head obviously turning with that bit of information alone. Then in the blink of an eye, he tore open Hades' chiton and cast a quick spell, which exposed Eros' golden arrow.

"What? When did that get there?" Hades asked as he looked down and saw for the first time the shining arrowhead painlessly protruding from his chest.

"Damn, boy," the Pit god replied with a deep frown. "The chicken got you…again. I didn't even know that he could shoot the same person twice! My word, you really do need help." Then with all sincerity, he continued, "Come, I'll drown you. Don't worry, I'm a professional. I can guarantee that you will stop kicking in three minutes."

"Will you stop," Hades said, glaring at the primordial threateningly. "And just leave me be?" It was getting hard to carry on a conversation on his part. He was in so much pain yet he forced himself to converse with the other god naturally and even deal with his nonsense!

"This is not a light matter to just _leave you be_!" Tartarus mocked and rolled his eyes. "Erebus, come here!"

"What is it?" the shadow god replied, materializing beside the other primordial.

"Look at that!" he pointed to Hades' chest.

"Is that what I think it is?" Erebus' eyes widened with surprise.

"Yes. _That_," he spat as if the object of their discussion wasn't in their midst. "Is exactly what you think it is! Did you even know that the chicken could shoot the same person twice?"

"No, I didn't," the other shook his head.

"If you must know, Zeus and the rest of the male Olympians have already been turned into porcupines by your brother," Hades answered listlessly as he tried to fix his torn chiton.

The two primordial gods didn't seem to hear him or rather ignored him. Instead they stared silently at each other, seemingly conversing with their eyes alone. There was a mischievous glint slowly forming in their eyes with every second that passed and Hades didn't like it…not one bit. He looked nervously between the two gods, wondering what scheme exactly, were they silently hatching behind those looks.

The two gods slightly nodded at each other and loomed darkly over their king, an evil smile stretching across both of their faces. This was the exact opportunity they have been waiting for! The moment they needed to be _aggressive_ about.

"What?" Hades asked nervously. Suddenly, they hooked their arms under each of Hades' arms and hauled him off as fast as they could to his castle. They didn't stop sprinting until they safely reached his study, locked the door and, with Erebus' abilities, covered the room in darkness, preventing outsiders from hearing or seeing anything within the room even through magic. They only allowed a single candle on top of the study table to illuminate the room as they forcefully sat Hades on a chair behind it.

"Dry yourself, son," Erebus said kindly and Hades did as he was instructed and waited for an explanation why he was suddenly manhandled.

"We have a dire matter on our hands. A matter so grave, it could shift the fate of the entire Underworld. To tackle this problem, we must first deconstruct it. Let's start with the basic fact," Tartarus said solemnly, materializing a horsewhip in his hands and slamming it on the table with a sharp snap, the candlelight flickering with the force of the small wind it produced. "You're in love."

Hades stood up and shouted, "That's preposter —"

"It's no use denying it, son," Erebus cut him shortly as he paced behind Tartarus. "The proof sticks out of your chest. I'm afraid this is simply your fate."

Hades slumped back down on the chair, leaned his head on his hands in defeat and groaned, "This cannot be happening."

"Well it is!" Tartarus said forcefully. "The question is: what are you going to do about it?"

He looked up from his hands and sighed, "Well, I guess I could start seeing her."

Erebus nodded in approval, "That's a good start —"

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Tartarus interrupted, punctuating each 'no' with a slap on the desk with his whip, giving the final 'no' the loudest snap, almost breaking the table in half. "You've already been down this road before! Look where it got you! You have to learn from your mistakes!" He leaned forward from across the table until his face was a few inches from Hades' face, "I'll tell you what I told Erebus a long time ago." He whispered slowly and gravely, "If you are a real god, sweep away the woman you're in love with, even if it means using force."

"That sounds painfully Spartan," Hades muttered under his breath.

"Don't you get it? Back me up on this, brother!" he turned to the shadow god.

Erebus looked at him then his son and said, "That's his only advice that actually works only if you don't take it too seriously."

Tartarus' jaw dropped, "You ungrateful little…! If it weren't for me, you and Nyx would still be —"

"Fine," Hades conceded. "I see your point. If this is indeed Fate, then I'll marry her then." He stood up and looked at the shelves behind him, searching for the right scrolls. He pulled out two of them and set them on the table.

"What are these?" Erebus asked.

"These are the two known marriage rituals in the above world, the Spartan," he pointed to one scroll then shifting to the other, "And the Athenian."

"Why would you need the marriage rituals of the Upperworld?" the Pit god asked nonplussed, cocking his head to the side and scratching his hair with the whip. "You only need to make her a denizen of the Underworld and be done with it!"

"Because I want to do it right this time!" Hades glared at the god. "We will marry under the laws of both realms so no one can possibly deny it."

"Alright, fine. But you only need one ritual right?"

The king nodded. "The Spartan way is simple. The groom must wrestle the other suitors, proving his physical prowess, and then claim the bride as prize by carrying her on his shoulders and taking her home."

"Now that is exactly what I'm talking about!" Tartarus smiled. "Straight to the prize."

"Honestly! Aidon, I can't see you doing that!" Erebus chastised. "I can't even produce a mental image of you chuckling maniacally with a protesting woman on your shoulder! This guy however," he pointed an accusing finger to his brother, "I totally can."

"I'm not denying that," Tartarus said with a smug smirk. "In fact I'm promoting it."

He ignored them and continued, "The Athenian marriage is much more complicated. It's a ceremony that lasts three days. However the ceremony itself is not the marriage. The real marriage happens at the betrothal."

"Betrothal?" both gods asked at the same time.

"Yes. I believe Zeus and I originated this. When Zeus wanted to marry Hera, he asked for my permission first. Now the mortals consider the verbal contract between the father or guardian of the bride and the groom to be the marriage itself."

"Let me see that!" Tartarus said grabbing the Athenian scroll. His eyes quickly roamed across the paper and by the time it reached the bottom of the parchment, he slowly laughed maliciously.

"What is it?" Hades asked.

"You can say whatever you want Aidon," he continued laughing. "But I see that even the goddess of marriage agrees with my original statement. You have to abduct the bride."

"What?" Erebus asked. "Give me that!" His eyes roamed through the parchment, just like the previous god did, "You lie! Nowhere did it state that you kidnap the bride!"

"You don't even have to go to the bottom of the paper to see it! It says right there in black and white!" he pointed to the title of the scroll, '_Gamos'_, which is Greek for marriage but could also mean abduction.

"What are you talking about? It says marriage."

"No, it says abduction."

"Marriage, you puerile fool!"

"Abduction, you stupid idiot!"

"Marriage!"

"Abduction!"

Both glared hard at one another, their snarling faces only a few inches apart. If they could beat each other up just to prove a point, they looked like they would.

"Stop it both of you!" Hades' voice thundered. They immediately broke eye contact and looked at the king instead. "It doesn't matter. Either way, I haven't chosen a marriage ritual yet."

"Spartan," Tartarus said, at the same time Erebus said "Athenian."

Slowly, both resumed their glaring contest. "You only live to oppose me, do you?" the Pit god growled. "That must be your sole mission in life!"

"On the contrary, opposing me must be your sole reason for existing!" Erebus countered angrily.

"I've had enough of your petty bickering." After a moment's pause he continued and said simply, "I have decided to choose the Athenian way." He agreed with the god of Darkness that he couldn't see himself hauling Kore over his shoulders like a common thug. He was much more dignified than that. If he had to haul someone, he'd haul them with class.

"What?!" Tartarus exclaimed while his brother crossed his arms smugly. "Fine!" he conceded.

"However doing this in order is not plausible," Hades continued, "For I must hold the procession ceremony before…"

Suddenly a knock on the door interrupted him. All three gods looked at the door and at each other, waiting for someone among them to answer it. Erebus shrugged and answered the door for them.

"Who is it?" he asked as he opened it, stopping immediately when he saw who was on the other side. "Nyx!"

"Hi, dear!" Nyx greeted smilingly. Erebus looked behind him uncertainly while Tartarus silently motioned for him to cut the conversation short by doing swift strokes of his hand across his neck.

"I was wondering where Aidon was when someone saw you and Tartarus shipping him here and I —"

"My love," Erebus started, cutting her off. "You don't have to worry. Aidon is right here with us."

"Oh that's great! So I —"

"Please my love, now is not a good time."

"What he meant to say," Tartarus quickly interrupted their talk as he stood beside them. "Was that we're having man-to-man conversations in here and women are not allowed. Goodbye!" He slammed the door shut.

"D-did you just shut the door on Nyx?" Erebus stared at his brother, who was leaning on the door in stupor, incredulously. "Are you mad?!"

"Yeah. I'll worry about that later, after the full horror of what I just did sink into my psyche," Tartarus replied, visibly shivering. "For the time being, I'll just reject reality and pretend I didn't do that." Then doing what he does best – shifting moods, he looked back to Hades and asked as if nothing out of the ordinary happened, "You were saying?"

"I plan to do most of the ceremonies in the Underworld so doing this in order is not plausible," Hades continued, acting as if they weren't interrupted in the first place. "I will have to start with the betrothal then the procession."

"Hmm… sounds reasonable enough," Erebus remarked as he nodded. "It's fine. This is the Underworld. You don't have to follow everything to the last detail. Wait, so who's the lucky bride anyway?"

Hades produced a small vision of0 the goddess who had been the object of his thoughts for the past three moons. Her image floated weightlessly above his open palm and he stared at it entranced and said, "Her name is Kore."

He didn't know what he felt about her but at the same time he just couldn't take his eyes off her. Her eyes, those green mesmerizing orbs, drew him in. It didn't feel like love, for he knew what that felt like. This was different, it felt different, and it brought maddening conflict between his heart and mind. If it was not love then what was it?! Maybe it was the effects of Eros' arrow addling him.

In the first place, why him? Did he make a fun target practice? Was it fun to see him run around and go mad with that emotion…again?! But if he was somehow destined to love this woman then he will use all his power to keep her by his side! He knew he could not suffer another heart break and he feared that the most. He wasn't even sure if he was ready to love again or ever would be. Somehow he was beginning to really hate the god of love, enough that the thought he could sic Tartarus on him crossed his mind.

"Eh… she's not my type," Tartarus observed and stuck his tongue out. "Too innocent-looking for my taste."

"And who asked for your type anyway?" Erebus snapped. "In my opinion, she looks nice enough. But it won't matter if the father doesn't agree to give her to you. So who's her father?"

Hades woke from his self-induced hypnosis, like he'd been doused by a bucket of cold water. He dissolved the vision and replied, "…Zeus."

"_WHAT?!_" both primordial gods exclaimed at the same time.

* * *

AN: Well isn't that nice? See you next Saturday!


	23. Bethrothal

Zeus was sitting on top of the roof of the Olympian Parthenon after a trip around the world in the form of an eagle where he could see all of Aether, the kingdom which he ruled over.

If there was one activity he enjoyed more than coupling, it was flying. It was when he was flying that he feels free from responsibilities, free from problems…just free from everything. When he was flying, he didn't feel like a god but a free spirit instead. It's as if something from inside him, something innate, was telling him that his kingliness was an illusion. Something deep inside tells him that he isn't who he says he is and he didn't know what to make of it. So he would scoff at it and try to stomp the thought away, while adamantly insisting and implementing his dominance. He was the king of kings, the supreme ruler of the Universe and nothing else.

And the burden of ruling was real not an illusion! Just the thought alone weighed his shoulders down so much. It was a good thing he wasn't carrying it alone. Hera was right there by his side, always carrying that burden with him. She was his other half, his partner, his very important queen. Although they weren't equal in power and station, hand in hand, they were the stewards of the world. With her, he could feel secure on the top.

Their relationship however, he was never secure. It was a vicious cycle of ups and downs, like an ever spinning wheel that spins more and more out of control with each passing century. And it centered around one concept – possession. Right now, they were on good terms. Hera, after much pains, hardships, courting and waiting that spanned almost two centuries, had _partially_ forgiven him and was willing to be amiable again. It wasn't a full forgiveness but it was definitely better than nothing.

But now that they were in better terms, their passion play in the bed gave a whole new meaning to the word 'passion'. He was after all, legendary with his skills, stamina, and libido in the bed. He was everything he was reputed to be…and then some. And he used all of it, _all of it_, on his wife every opportunity he could (no exaggerations). It got so bad that the children of Olympus had to evacuate the palace to see none of their sickeningly sweet behavior. Hera, safe to say, felt like a nymph again.

Zeus smiled. He inhaled the sweet air and basked under Helios' light, the sunlight reflecting off of his equally golden hair, his handsome youthful face (like a mortal around his late twenties), the face which attracted hundreds of women, glowing with happiness (there's a reason why he had so many women – his beauty was criminal in nature). Yes, right now, he felt like he's on top of the world, figuratively and literally.

888

"Hestia, what would I do without you?" Hera smiled at her sister reflected on the mirror, who was currently braiding her locks.

"You mean fixing your hair?" Hestia chuckled. "You have a lot of servants for this Hera…Poseidon included," she jested.

Hera laughed and shook her head, "No, I meant with Zeus." She looked down at her vanity, staring at the table full of beauty paraphernalia in deep thought. "Without your advice, I would've forever shunned him from my life. Because of you, we're at least recovering." Ever since they were children, Hera always relied on Hestia. Whenever she felt down or when things get too difficult, she could always run to her and cry in her arms. Or she'd receive pieces of advice when she needed it. She was the one person Hera could always rely on and trusted with her life.

"Well," Hestia started, tying her lustrous long brown hair into a beautiful chignon bun secured by a gorgeous peacock-feather pin and other smaller diamond and pearl studded pins. "There. You look gorgeous," she said, smoothing her hair and patting some stray locks into place. Then, smiling at Hera's reflection, she continued, "My advice is only effective if you take it. All the effort and its fruits are yours and yours alone to enjoy, you know that. I'm just happy that you're happy." Her smile fell and she suddenly became silent and thoughtful.

"What is it?" Hera asked.

"It's just…" she trailed. "I wish we could all just be…happy."

"You're talking about him." It wasn't a question. If there was anything that could bother Hestia and make her upset like this it was only their eldest brother. It was actually extremely weird and disturbing to see Hestia upset over Hades because, for the life of her, she could never remember a time when these two were against each other. They always agreed. They always knew each other like the backs of their hands. They always acted like they were of one mind with two different bodies – that was how close they were. This abrupt change in Hades rattled their bond or worse…probably severed it. _Hopefully not_, Hera thought. No one knows how Hades changed but ever since he did, so much so that he was almost unrecognizable – no, a different person altogether, Hestia didn't seem as bright and happy as before.

_Damn it, Hades what do you think you're doing?_ Hera cursed him in her thoughts.

Hestia nodded sadly. "It just hurts me to see him like that." She sighed and closed her eyes, "I wish I could do something about it…"

"Come," Hera said, suddenly standing up and grabbing her hand and dragging her to the hall where Hebe was always serving ambrosia. A sad expression really did not suit her precious elder sister. "Let's not talk about him and get something to eat shall we?"

She chuckled as she let herself get dragged away, "Really, Hera."

They were walking through the grand red and gold halls of the palace, with Hera cheerfully leading her sister, when suddenly Hades appeared in front of them like a dark ghost barring their way.

"Hades!" both women exclaimed in surprise at the same time.

"What are you doing here?" Hera demanded once she recovered, subtly stepping in front of Hestia as if to shield her from their brother.

"Hera, Hestia," he greeted with a curt nod to each. "I've been looking for Zeus for a while now. Can you help me find him?"

The two women shared a look. From the looks of it, they could guess that he got lost in the palace and was wandering aimlessly until he accidentally bumped into them. "What do you need him for?" Hera continued.

Hades looked to the side as if the wall suddenly seemed very interesting. "It's none of your business," he said quietly.

"…Brother?" Hestia called uncertainly. For some reason, Hades looked really vulnerable and unsure, as if a matter troubled him deeply. He acted as if he was going to do something he wasn't sure of but was determined to do anyway – that she could see in his eyes behind the black mask he'd been sporting since 'that incident' and his stance. She'd only seen it once when he told her of his discomfort to fight off the Titans during the Titanomachy. He was uncertain yet willing that time too. It was a side of him that she could never forget. But the familiarity of his actions and the way she could still read him brought her comfort. It was like she was seeing a glimpse of the Hades she missed the most and he wasn't truly gone and changed like she feared.

He returned his sights back to the women, particularly Hestia, "Yes?"

"Whatever you're about to do…" Hestia began. "Whatever you need Zeus for, have you thought of it well?"

Hades shook his head, looked down on the floor and answered, "It is Fate. I'm convinced it is. I'd rather go through with it than fight it."

_No, I didn't actually think this through,_is what Hestia heard him say. _But I have to do it anyway._

"Will you be happy with your decision?" she asked slowly.

"It's not a matter of happiness," he subtly curled his hands into a fist and shifted his weight to the other foot – a defensive stance. "It's a matter of choice."

_It's a matter of not getting hurt_, she translated in her mind. Whatever it was he's going to do, he had done it before and it didn't end well the first time. There was something that he wasn't telling her or was willing to tell her – a silent message that it was none of her business. And because she knows that he's hiding something from her, she decided to let him be.

"I hope you know what you're doing. And I pray the Fates bode you well for your sake," she said gently with a sad smile before turning away and leaving the two deities to stare at her retreating back.

_I hope you don't get hurt this time brother,_ is what Hades actually heard her say.

"I won't!" he promised before she was out of earshot.

Hera knew that these two sometimes conversed cryptically. But that must have been on the top of the list of their most cryptic conversations in history. It was as if there were two conversations happening at the same time: the one they're actually saying and the one they're really conveying to each other. And she didn't understand either – she didn't even know what they were talking about in the first place! She just looked between the two gods depending on who was talking and silently watched them. But at it was nice to know that their bond wasn't severed as she first thought.

"Hera," Hades started again, his voice slowly turning cold and distant once more, "Can you please help me find Zeus?"

888

Zeus marched straight to the throne room when he heard Iris' message. Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, was Hera's personal messenger (like a Hermes counterpart) and she only used her when it concerned urgent matters. It appears that Hera wanted his presence immediately for some official business. What could it be?

When he entered the hall of the gods, his throne room, where most Olympian official business was conducted, he found Hades and Hera sitting opposite each other with a goblet of ambrosia in their hands. The hall was empty except for the three of them. All the other gods were busy doing their duties or just lounging around Hellas in some matter or another (more accurately preserving their sanity from their parents acting so lovey-dovey).

The two didn't seem to be conversing but they were comfortable enough in each other's presence. Here was Hades, a god whom Zeus hadn't seen in almost two centuries coming to him without an official invitation and for once he didn't seem angry or unsociable. That was definitely, without a doubt, very new.

"Hades," Zeus greeted smilingly, sweeping his hands wide open in an inviting manner. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your wholly unexpected visit?"

"Hello Zeus," Hades greeted back with a polite nod. When Hera began to stand up to leave the two gods alone, Hades turned to her and said, "Hera, please stay."

She raised an inquisitive eyebrow but didn't say anything. Before she could sit back down though, Zeus took her hand and kissed her knuckles. They then both took a seat on the lounge chair, with his arm snaked around her waist and his fingers absentmindedly drawing patterns. He happily noted the absence of any discomfort on her part. Seeing her being comfortable in his proximity once more brought him unimaginable relief.

"I have a favor to ask you," Hades started after a moment of silence, ignoring their open display of affection, and setting down the chalice in his hands on the table beside his chair. He turned his head and looked at the king of gods with all seriousness. "Zeus, I'd like to receive your daughter's hand in marriage."

Zeus leaned back on his chair and scratched his chin, "A daughter? Which one? I have a lot of daughters and I'm sure I could spare one…" then his eyes narrowed suspiciously, "It wouldn't be Artemis or Athena by any chance though would it?"

Hades shook his head. "It is your daughter by Demeter, Kore."

A smile slowly stretched across Zeus' face. He materialized a chalice and poured himself a cup of ambrosia seeing that Hebe was dismissed from the room earlier apparently. "My dear dark brother is taken by one of my daughters. This is most…" he trailed, thinking of an appropriate word.

"Amusing?" Hades supplied.

"…amazing. Isn't it Hera?" the golden king said drinking from his cup as he fell into deep thought. If he could have one of his daughters as Queen of the Underworld, he'd have a stronghold in the Underworld and it could partially fall under his domain. A right to the largest realm of the Universe was indeed an advantageous offer. But what Hades was asking right now, was it still part of the deal they made a long time ago?

"Quite," Hera echoed, a small smile forming on her face. Yes, it was quite amazing for him to dispose of one of Zeus' bastards for her. If Hades did marry Kore, that's one less bastard for her to think about or see.

Zeus smiled wider. He de-materialized his chalice and used his freed hand to caress Hera's arm, marveling at the softness of her skin and making her visibly shudder, as he replied distractedly, "It is fine. You can have her. What do you need my permission for? If you want her then take her."

Hades looked down on the floor and muttered under his breath, "Why do you sound so much like him?"

"Sound like whom?" He didn't even look at Hades' direction when talking anymore, his attention fully devoted on Hera's hand as he trailed kisses from her palm to her arms.

He shook his head and scoffed. "No one. Well then," he exhaled as he stood up. "Shall we conduct the wedding ceremony now?"

"Wedding ceremony?" Hera asked. Her face was beginning to flush in embarrassment from her husband's public show of affection in front of Hades of all people.

"Yes Hera," Hades turned to her. "I ask you to please be our witness, as the goddess of marriage."

"You mean through the marriage customs of Hellas?" Zeus asked incredulously, finally looking up at the dark god. "Whatever for? Just take her and be done with it."

_Can you please stop repeating a certain Pit god's words?_ Hades thought shaking his head. "Because this time, I want _you two_ specifically, to know of my intentions for this woman."

Both gods were taken aback by the sudden barb that came out of nowhere. _Fair enough_, they thought at the same time as they stood up as well.

"Alright," Zeus cleared his throat and extended a hand ceremoniously, uttering the formulated words of marriage, "I offer Kore, my daughter, to thee to wife and to bear thee lawful children."

Hades took his hand and replied, "To this, I hereby claim Kore as my wife. For her dowry, I shall allow thee to sentence three souls to any layer of the Underworld and I grant thee the freedom to enter and walk through my realm as thou please."

The freedom to walk in the Underworld was indeed a privilege. Hades' realm was like another dimension altogether, with select portals that open sporadically. And no ordinary mortal or immortal could just probe its depths. To enter the domain one needs to meet all three requirements: permission from the king, the blessing of the Fates, and most importantly, the courage to actually step into its darkness (because who in their right mind would want to enter the kingdom of the dead, really?).

To this Zeus smiled slyly and said, "I accept." They both shook their hands to seal the deal. _If Hades is offering a dowry, then apparently it is not part of The Deal_, Zeus thought answering his earlier question.

Hera looked worriedly at Hades and said, "I bear witness to this betrothal and union and declare it a binding and true _hieros gamos_(which means sacred marriage)." During their discussion Hades didn't mention any sort of dowry. And his particular dowry was very worrying. He basically gave Zeus permission to bypass his power for three souls…what if those souls were terribly important and needed Hades' wise judgment instead of Zeus temperamental sentences? Her husband could be terribly cruel, just ask Prometheus who was still having his insides gorged out to this day. She shivered at the reminder and feared that Hades might have inadvertently doomed himself.

The two gods let go of each other's hands. "Thank you, Zeus, Hera for granting me this favor," Hades said.

"This time brother," Zeus replied in a severe tone, "We'll try our best to make sure you stay with your bride."

He nodded in reply and vanished in a thick dark mist; leaving the two gods to continue their amorous behavior in peace (they act like a couple of horny newlyweds and Hades could almost see hearts flying between their loving gazes). Now that the first part – the betrothal – was out of the way, the only matter left was actually securing the bride. The threads of fate kept spinning and intertwining as the grand scheme concocted by Hades, Erebus and Tartarus came into fruition.


	24. Kidnapping

Artemis and Athena descended on the Plains of Nysa as per request of Demeter. She asked them to play with Kore and at the same time watch out for her safety while she attended her duties. Of course they complied without explanations. Kore was their dear sweet little sister. So it was only expected that they look out for each other.

What they did _not_ expect though, was the army of nymphs Kore was buried in. There must have been about twenty nymphs around her, surrounding her. The goddesses almost thought that Kore was under arrest or something with that much…security.

"What's going on?" Artemis asked the spring goddess the moment she landed on the grass. She looked around at the nymphs nervously playing on the field of flowers. The anxiety was so thick in the air one could cut it with a small blunt knife. Artemis thought that the women looked an awful lot like skittish and nervous deer, alert because a predator was about.

"What do you mean?" Kore asked innocuously.

"We mean your legion of nymphs that enclose you," Athena answered sitting elegantly on the grass. "We've seen you with one or two nymphs before but never this many."

"Ah!" Kore exclaimed quietly and sheepishly. "Well, it's funny that you ask. I assure you though, there's a perfectly good reason for this."

"Do tell?" the moon goddess prompted as she flopped down.

Kore looked left and right, covered her mouth on one side and whispered, "I've been attacked by a dragon."

"You were?!" both goddesses exclaimed at the same time.

"Are you alright?" Artemis asked as she fussed over her, looking at her arms and face as if searching for an injury.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Athena, though without the physical act of touching Kore, similarly scanned the goddess for injuries too.

Kore laughed. "You're acting like my mama when I first told her! I'm fine, don't worry!"

"Are you sure?" Artemis asked with narrowed eyes.

Kore nodded enthusiastically in reply, "I ran with all my might, you see? I screamed for help and then someone appeared and I was rescued."

"By whom?" Athena asked.

Kore looked down and twirled a blade of grass in her finger nervously before replying softly, "A man."

Artemis laughed. The two goddesses looked at her with perplexed expressions, wondering what was so funny about what Kore had said. When she finally finished her bout of laughter, she said with a few chuckles in between, "I'm no longer surprised by your nymph battalion. I'm more aghast Lady Demeter even let you out of the house now!"

"Wah! Don't say that!" Kore said scrunching her face into a pout. "It wasn't exactly easy – that I can tell you. It was so hard to convince her that it was alright to let me out. She only allowed me to if I had twenty nymphs to watch out for me."

"And apparently that's not enough because she even requested the help of the goddess of war and the goddess of the hunt to watch out for you," Athena supplied with a convinced nod.

Artemis laughed some more, "Next she'll request an army of Spartans!"

"Not that she'd allow her to be near men," Athena replied with a curt chuckle.

"I can't believe you two! You are having too much fun with my situation!" Kore crossed her arms and turned her back to them.

"Alright, alright," Artemis said placating the upset goddess while trying to stifle her amusement. "So…tell us about this…hero of yours?" It was hard not to let her contempt against men bleed through her voice but she was successful.

"He's amazing!" Kore said bouncing back from her sulking. "Ah! Don't tell mama I said that! You know how she is with the subject of men."

Both virgin goddesses nodded in understanding and waited for her to continue.

"Well… in hindsight, I actually tackled him to the ground," Kore continued, shyly gathering flowers and twisting them into a crown and setting it on her head. "Because I was running so fast, I didn't see him in time enough to stop my feet from moving. The dragon caught up with me and we were almost run over by it- we _would've_ been run over by it- if he didn't roll us out of the way. And then he fought the dragon! There was fire all around, fireballs clashing, the whole forest burning all around me…!"

Kore's hands waved in the air as she tried to tell her story as animatedly as possible. Artemis and Athena and the closest nymphs that could hear her, listened avidly to her story. "Go on!"

She smiled as she relished her dramatic pause before declaring, "But it turns out that he was the master of the dragon in the first place!"

"What's his name?" Athena asked suddenly turning serious. Well, it was a serious matter if someone owned a dragon which attacked a goddess. Besides who could own a dragon in the first place? What kind of mortal or…immortal, as the most likely case may be, owns a dragon?

It was the first time she was asked if she knew the name of the man. When she told the story to her mother, she didn't get past 'I've been attacked by a dragon' before she was treated like a mortal racked with fever from the bubonic plague. She had been confined in the house since until she finally convinced Demeter that, with a few extra protections, she will once again escape unscathed. She had to pause for a while to remember the name of the man from almost four moons ago. "Well his name is —"

"Excuse me, Lady Kore?" a woman approached them, interrupting her story.

They all looked up to see who the intruder was. Kore greeted smilingly, "Oh, hello lady Styx."

888

"Do you remember the plan?" Tartarus asked as he spread a papyrus roll filled with complex diagrams and notes on the table. Hades nodded.

"Well let's review it anyway," Erebus suggested. Tartarus shrugged and started explaining anyway.

"So our target is in here," he pointed to the badly drawn picture of the plains of Nysa, "and she's surrounded by guards because of your disaster with Delphyne. But we've already successfully implanted an inside person in her guards." He traced a small circle on the paper and tapped his finger twice as he explained. Kore was represented by a small girl stick figure surrounded by circles, which were supposed to be her guards. One of the circles though, was shaded black.

"Who is it?" Hades asked.

Erebus smirked, "Styx."

"Here's the plan: We'll have Erebus distract her nymph guards while you lure her away and take her," Tartarus smiled evilly. "Gaea is in this too. She said she'll help you create the bait."

_Of course I had to do the talking_ Erebus thought as he watched his brother. _Phlegethon would freeze over first before you actually talk to her._

In other words, most primordial gods (with the blatant exception of the uninformed Nyx) were bent on getting Hades a wife. Hades couldn't help feeling as if his romantic life was being treated as entertainment by these gods…but then again, out of all of Erebus' children, he was the only one with a legitimate romantic interest…and he was not even a real son! _Thanatos, Hypnos, I hope you fall in love soon_, Hades thought. _And share my torment._

Somewhere in the realm, the twin gods shivered at the same time.

Tartarus couldn't help chuckling to himself as he continued, "I'm telling you, this is the first time in a long time since we've done something like this, but _this_ is the cherry on our record of schemes, better than the Messenger Incident. And don't worry about the wedding ceremony. We've already arranged it. Mind you, it was extremely hard to arrange a secret wedding without Nyx's notice! But we manage to pull it off."

Erebus nodded with a nostalgic smile, "Ah, the Messenger incident, those were the days. It's been a long time indeed since we've done something like this. I feel young again."

Tartarus and Erebus. Arranging his wedding and keeping it a secret from the ultimate grand matriarch of the Underworld. Because _that_ would end _really_well. …Why did he agree to this again?

"And whatever you do…" Erebus continued, clapping Hades' shoulder gravely, "Don't tell your mother."

888

_My lord, _Styx transmitted to Erebus through her thoughts, _I have the target distracted._

_Good, _he replied. Erebus slowly extended his large formless hand. He never achieved a solid form in the Upperworld unlike his wife and always took the form of shadow or smoke silhouette (save for his shining golden eyes), outside of Hades. Tendrils of darkness crawled from his palm and slowly covered the entire plain, clouding the eyes, ears, and thoughts of everyone in the vicinity except for Styx and Kore. Even Athena and Artemis were caught unawares by his power.

"I found something interesting over there. Would you like to see?" Styx pointed towards the edge of the forest where the trees were particularly bordering the plains.

"Really? Alright I'll come with you," Kore smiled. "Would it be alright if I go with her?" she asked her companions. The goddesses nodded dumbly in reply. "Thank you!"

Kore and Styx trailed on the edge of the forest towards the barrier Hades erected. This barrier would prevent any sights or sounds from escaping and therefore alerting anyone from witnessing the 'crime'. Hades had a feeling that kidnapping a bride was criminal but that was what the manual said to do. Ever the lawful god, he'd rather follow _almost _everything by the book.

When they entered the barrier, the river goddess immediately disappeared, leaving the innocent spring goddess on her own. After a while Kore spoke, "What was it that you wanted to show me, lady Styx?" she turned around but didn't find the goddess behind her. "Lady Styx?" she called again. "Lady Styx, where are you?" She looked around behind trees and bushes until a slight breeze passed her by.

The small wind sent by Gaea carried the most wonderful scent and it sparked Kore's curiosity. What could have smelled so good, almost rivaling the perfume of ambrosia? She followed her nose through the thicket of bushes and saw a glorious sight.

It was a flower.

Maybe saying it like it was an ordinary flower didn't do it justice. It was shaped like a narcissus flower but definitely unlike any narcissus flowers. First of all, it wasn't just yellow. It was _golden_ yellow and the way Helios' light struck it made it appear as if it were radiating light itself. To look at it gave a sense of holy awe, bewitching to both mortals and immortals alike. And it was so unbelievably fragrant, like an ambrosia concentrate, she could smell it from ten feet away!

Filled with the sense of wonder, she reached out with both hands to take hold of the pretty plaything. It would be the ultimate addition to her flower crown, the crown jewel.

This was it – the moment Hades had been waiting for.

When Kore pulled the flower, the ground cracked open and Hades' golden chariot, drawn by his black immortal horses emerged from the dark abyss. Kore was surprised. Maybe surprise was an understatement. Her heart was in her throat!

She turned and ran, screaming at the top of her lungs as if a ghost was right behind her. A ghost he may as well have been what with him wearing those dark robes, that black mask and escorted by black horses and suddenly sprouting from a hole in the ground without warning…. One could only assume he was a malicious spirit (or a monster)! What else could he be? She didn't really comprehend what was happening, but at least her lungs were pretty powerful as she cried for help. Being ambushed by an evil spirit was definitely worse than being chased by a dragon!

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry for taking your flower!" Kore screamed as she ran with tears in her eyes. "Don't eat me!"

Hades ignored her screams, which were completely expected by the way, and basically grabbed her by the waist and began dragging her down with him to his realm.

888

What followed was the most convincing wedding procession in history. In the Athenian marriage scroll, as the _last _wedding ritual (which obviously Hades did first), it states that the bride must be 'forcefully' dragged into the groom's abode, with the bride acting as if she didn't want to go, thus fulfilling the concept of 'abduction' part in marriage that Tartarus so loved to point out. It symbolizes that the bride is no longer under the watchful eye of her father or guardian and was instead under the groom's care. It was a sort of parting ritual where the bride must act rebelliously by pulling away from the groom or doing things along the same line.

But the main point was it's all an act.

Kore was not, in any way, shape or form, acting.

She didn't even know she was the bride in the story! All she knew was that she was being kidnapped and no one above seemed to have noticed, not her twenty nymphs, not Artemis, not Athena. She was alone in this. Genuine panic filled her as she did everything in her power to get away from her captor – she screamed, she kicked, she clawed, she squirmed, she pulled, she may have even bit – really everything. Hades felt like he was dragging a wild feral angry mountain lion with him instead of an innocent spring goddess. And he was trying to control her and prevent her from falling off the chariot while driving it no less. The activity pushed his driving skills (and maybe even patience) to the limit.

And because it was a procession, every immortal resident of Hades was there to bear witness. Oh, how the newlywed couple made quite a spectacle of themselves. There were some points where they thought that the chariot would topple over to the side because of its rambunctious passengers. By the Fates, what had become of their elegant king?

In the end, what silenced the young bride (and also produced the loudest scream before fainting) was the sight of a ten-foot tall, black dog named Cerberus that looked like a vicious and muscular version of a Great Dane, with his three humongous heads and his tongues lolling out of his mouths. To Kore, that meant three times the teeth – razor sharp teeth. He barked excitedly at them and even wagged his tail at the arrival of his master. But of course Kore thought she was going to be fed to him and that he was excited to get his meal. The single thought frightened no, traumatized her so much, all her ichor drained from her head and she fell unconscious.

This ridiculous sight was a once in a lifetime scene that would forever be imprinted in the minds of every deity in Hades. Most would have even missed this event had Tartarus not threatened to haunt every absentee. It was the perfect motivation. However some would testify that they would have been perfectly happy existing without witnessing this fiasco.

Everyone knew that anything concocted by Erebus and Tartarus would only court trouble. And they all felt bad for their king for being the victim wrapped in their twisted trap. Alone and separate, the two primordial gods were pretty 'peaceful'. They didn't always get along (thank goodness) but when they did…they became something else. During their younger days, it was said that they even gave _the_ Chaos a headache which in effect forced Nyx to perform disciplinary actions on them. They were once called the legendary twins (the original). They may have mellowed down throughout the millennia but still they were a force to be reckoned with. Now these two watched as the fruit of their sly plans passed them by and silently, discreetly performed their rarely-seen, special brother handshake as a congratulatory gesture to each other for a job well done.

Of course they didn't see the goddess of night fuming right behind them. Too bad Nyx was an even greater force to be reckoned with. One does not simply incite the ire of this goddess and expect to walk away unscathed.

888

Immediately after the procession, Hades deposited his unconscious bride on the bed of the second most extravagant ocean-themed room in the palace – a room fit for a queen. He stopped to watch her for a bit before he sighed and straightened up. He had a lot of minor injuries to tend to from this poorly executed act. Ah, there goes his reputation…

When he turned to leave though, he was surprised to see Nyx, Erebus and Tartarus waiting for him at the doorway, the gods looking away with an innocent pretense from the woman. Of course all three male gods knew that keeping anything from Nyx was just asking for trouble but their scheme in itself was also asking for trouble. It was called a scheme for a reason. And even though it was a losing situation from all angles, they did it anyway.

"Oh dears, give me a good explanation, a good reason why I shouldn't wring your necks right now," Nyx demanded evenly with an expectant look as she crossed her arms, her fingers tapping against her arms rhythmically. As if she weren't intimidating enough, her wings started twitching and bristling.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven…" she started counting down before they could even say a word. Tartarus immediately jumped and grabbed Hades, pulling his top apart and exposing Eros' golden arrow like he did the first time.

"That!" He said loudly and perhaps rather nervously, "Is our explanation!"

Hades callously shoved him away while repairing the damage to his clothes. He wouldn't normally react in such a way but his patience was wearing thin. He had enough harassment for one day, thank you very much!

Nyx was silent as she sought to process the information presented to her and noted her son's annoyed disposition. "Am I correct in assuming," she calmly started after a while, "That you are in love with this woman dear?"

Hades glanced behind him, to the unconscious woman on the bed, smoothed his chiton as he answered, "Well I'm not exactly in love with her —"

"Yes! Yes, he's totally in love with her. He's just in denial. The poor boy was so sick and insane he couldn't think straight. He sat under the river Acheron and suffered, thinking it would cure him, just to keep his thoughts from going back to her. In fact, he was so troubled that he sought our wise council!" Tartarus rambled. The king shot him a glare. Why did he have to answer for him? And slander him for that matter?

"I will make this perfectly clear," Hades whispered angrily and pursed his lips. "I'm not in love with her. She…" he paused abruptly, thinking of the right words. "She just…distracts me," he finished lamely.

"I see," Nyx nodded. "Do you have anything to add to this dear Erebus?"

"It's his fate," Erebus said with a calm he didn't feel.

Nyx opened her mouth to speak again when a small groan beat her to it. All eyes turned to the sleeping maiden who was now regaining consciousness.

"Oh, you poor dear!" Nyx said rushing to the woman and sitting on the bedside. "You must have been terribly frightened on your way down here."

When Kore had her eyes fully open and focused, she suddenly scurried to the furthest corner of the bed, away from the dark goddess with obvious fright, "Who are you people?" she whispered hoarsely, her voice still spent from screaming.

Nyx smiled gently. "I am Nyx. I'm truly sorry for the sudden and rough manner that you were brought in the Underworld. But I assure you, dear child, that you are safe here. I will let the one responsible for bringing you here to explain everything," she said looking pointedly at Hades as she said the last part. She then stood up and walked out the door, dragging her brothers along with her, and leaving Hades and Kore alone in the room.

Kore looked at her captor and a flash of recognition shined in her eyes. "You…Aidoneus?" She whispered in a small voice.

Hades felt as if a lightning passed through his heart, using Eros' arrow as a lightning rod, when he heard his name. It shocked him but he sought to control it and crush it away. "Yes, it is I," he replied.

"What…? Where…? The Underworld…? Wh-why am I here? I-I remember you…sprouting from the ground like a plant and grabbing me… There was darkness all around…and teeth…" she mumbled incoherently, her eyes not focusing on anything as she recalled the recent horrific events. Her arms folded as she hugged herself tightly, insecurely. "Wh-what am I doing here?" She looked at him, her shining green eyes pleading for answers.

_Like a plant? _Hades thought. He cleared his throat and looked away as he answered, "Because you are my wife."

"I-I don't understand —"

He cut her off by producing a vision in his hand. The small ball of darkness floated from his palm, traveled in front of Kore, and showed the betrothal Zeus and he performed. Her expression turned increasingly dumbfounded as the vision played. By the time it was over, Kore's face had turned blank. "I tell you the truth, Kore Carpophorus. I have claimed you as my wife and I am your lawful husband."

She didn't reply. Her mind was scrambled badly. She couldn't think coherently. But at most she could grasp that her estranged father, whom she had only seen once in her life during her initiation ceremony, had married her without warning. Moreover it was an official ceremony recognized by the goddess of marriage. It doesn't make sense! What is this? What's happening? She was just playing in the middle of a field with Artemis and Athena… What kind of nightmare was she in?

As she tried hard to sort out her thoughts Hades continued, "You shall be prepared for our wedding shortly. That is all."

And then, just like that, he left.

"Aidoneus," Kore mumbled as she ran towards the door and tried to pull it open but the doorknob wouldn't budge. She was locked in! "Aidoneus!" she called as she pounded on the door. "Please let me out! Let me out! I need to go back, let me out!" She tried on the door again but all she got was its mocking rattle. "Aidoneus! Please! There must be some mistake! I don't want to be here! Bring me back! Let me out!"

She called and pounded on the door hysterically until tears began pouring from her eyes. After a while, when she knew her cries were futile, she began to slide and sob. "Mama," she whispered and curled herself into a ball. "Mama," she wailed again softly. _I'm scared. I'm so scared…_

* * *

**A/N: I always found it suspicious that Styx was one of the people in Persephone's company mentioned in the Hymn to Demeter. To me it screamed 'inside job'. It also just happens that Gaea plays a part in this too huh? **

**I changed the name from King of the Underworld to Dirge of Hell. TKOTU was a working name and I was going to change it anyway (either Dirge of Hell or Psalm of Aidoneus) however I would like to recieve feedback about the name change. **

**I also overhauled my first chapter. I had gathered that starting with "A long time ago" was not quite the professional beginning, quite laughable/embarassing really. And it was filled to the brim with grammar mistakes making it hard to understand.**


	25. Wedding

A horrible feeling gripped Demeter's heart. Something was wrong, she could feel it. Her motherly intuition jumped into action as she thought of her daughter. _Kore, there's something going on with Kore. _She immediately abandoned her task and took the form of a falcon and flew as fast as she could towards Nysa.

When she reached the plains, she found a commotion going on. The twenty nymphs she had assigned to accompany Kore had scattered throughout the forest, calling her daughter's name. The horrible feeling inside Demeter's heart intensified.

"Athena! Artemis!" she summoned loudly. The two goddesses immediately appeared before her, kneeling and looking awfully contrite. It wasn't a sight she wanted to see. "Where is Kore?"

"M-my Lady," Artemis stammered. "Please forgive us."

"We cannot find her," Athena said in a level voice though the guilty look on her face became more pronounced as she spoke.

"What do you mean you cannot find her?" Demeter said icily. Passing by them, she called for her daughter in a loud voice. "Kore! Kore, please come here my child!"

"We have been searching for a while now, my lady," Athena said as she stood up. "Please forgive our irresponsibility. We don't know how she vanished under our watch but we'll do our best to find her."

"Where is she then?!" Demeter turned around suddenly, not really listening to the excuses thrown at her. "Where is my daughter?!" A tight feeling gripped her heart. Was it fear, terror, anxiety, an intense foreboding? She didn't like what she was feeling at all. "You only had one thing to do, ONE THING: Look out for her safety! That is all I asked of you, nothing more. And now you tell me that she's missing? And you have no clue where she is or how it happened?"

She was panicking now, her breaths becoming shorter and her heart beating erratically in her chest, and tears starting to form in her eyes. As a goddess, she had an ominous sense that her daughter's absence was not normal. Her daughter, her daughter was gone and she did not know what happened to her. It was completely mind-wrecking. "If something evil had happened to my daughter, I will never forgive you."

She turned and left the two goddesses behind, hysterically looking for her daughter.

888

A knock sounded at the door, waking Kore from her stupor. She wiped her face of tears and stood up from the floor. She looked back at the mocking doorknob with dismay. How was she to open the door? Maybe the person on the other side had a key. Could she escape though? Could she push the person trying to enter and run? _Can I do it?_ She thought. It was worth a shot.

So she cleared her throat and said in an awkward voice, "Come in?"

The doorknob twisted. She braced herself, rehearsing her actions in her mind. _Alright, so I push whoever's on the other side and run away. But run where? Never mind. I'll figure it out when I get to that point. _But when the door slowly opened and revealed a beautiful enchantress (literally), all her plans went sailing out the window. She couldn't find the strength to push the woman away and not feel guilty about it afterwards. If it were Aidoneus though, she would not have any second thoughts. She pouted at her foiled attempt.

Hecate, the goddess of sorcery, entered the room, bringing five underworld nymphs with her. Of course the doors magically and immediately closed behind her. She bowed to the spring goddess and said, "My Lady, I am Hecate, the chthonic goddess of witchcraft. I was appointed to assist you in preparation for your upcoming wedding."

"I-It's nice to meet you, Lady Hecate," Kore awkwardly curtsied in return, not quite used to such formal greetings. "But please call me Kore."

"Lady Kore then," Hecate smiled. It was the second smile Kore had seen since coming to this place and it comforted her deeply to know that not all people here were mean (unlike a certain someone). "Come, we shall guide you in your pre-wedding rituals."

"Wait please!" Kore said, raising her hands in a gesture for them to stop. "I am quite confused at the moment. Can you please tell me why I am suddenly getting married? And who is Aidoneus exactly? I know he's my _alleged_ husband but I don't actually know who he is…"

"I am truly sorry that you are confused. I thought that the king had explained the situation to you because, truthfully, I also have no idea whatsoever why you are getting married."

Kore frowned. That was _not_ very helpful.

"But to answer your next question, your husband is more widely-known as Lord Hades, god of the Underworld and master of all who lives in it," Hecate said proudly with a hint of sadness in it. "Have I answered all your questions?"

Kore shook her head. Now that she knew who her husband was, the nightmare seemed to have worsened. "I-I don't want to get married to him."

"It is quite common for the bride to be reluctant to marry her husband," Hecate stated mechanically with a distant look as if reading off of an invisible book in front of her. Then she added more kindly, "But feelings of affection tend to grow in time the more you get to know him…"

Kore still shook her head. "I don't want to know him. I don't want anything to do with him. I just want to go home…"

This time, it was Hecate's turn to shake her head and said as gently as possible, "I'm afraid that is not possible. I'm really sorry that you feel this way but the least we can do to ease your sadness is to make you feel comfortable and welcome to our world." She extended a hand to the spring goddess and continued, "Come, we shall prepare you for your wedding."

Kore reluctantly took her hand and gave the dark-robed goddess her child-like trust. Hecate patiently explained the wedding rituals of the world above to the naïve goddess. In truth, Hecate only recently had to learn said wedding rituals herself. She had no idea why, but Hades had requested her to learn them and to perform them. He said something about rules but she didn't truly understand it until she read the Athenian Marriage scroll. Memorizing and cramming all the words in that scroll in her head in approximately four hours should be considered one of her feats.

She guided Kore into making her childhood sacrifices such as her flower crown and white tunic. She had been very reluctant to part with them but Hecate explained the necessity and meaning of it, which was to welcome her change of status from girl to a woman, and was able to eventually convince her. Though as the flower crown burned in the hearth of her (now that she was calm enough to notice) really grand, expensive-looking room, she began to dislike both Hades and Zeus more and more. They had conspired against her and forced her into something she didn't want. But then she wholly understood that she was only a _minor _goddess, a daughter, no, a mere property of Zeus. He had the full right to give her to Hades if he wished. But what would someone like the king of the Underworld want with her anyway?

The second pre-wedding ritual was the purifying bath. It was the longest, most luxurious bath Kore ever had in her life. Her room apparently, was connected to a hall leading to a whole other room called the _bathroom_. It was a gilded bathroom with a large golden tub the size of a pond. A dolphin-shaped fountain attached to the wall poured steaming water on the pond of a bathtub. Now that she noticed it, the bathroom was also ocean themed. Shell-shaped marble columns lined the walls and fishes made of sapphire gems were used as décor.

Hecate opened a small bottle of the most fragrant oil Kore ever smelled and poured all its contents on the warm water. Kore soaked in the sweet-smelling water until her fingers started to look like prunes. When she got up, Hecate asked her to lie on a lounge chair and instructed the nymphs to massage more oils onto her hair and body.

After that was done, Hecate led her to the adjacent large room filled with drapes arranged by color hanging from ceiling to floor. All the cloths contained some hand-embroidery! Truly a wealthy person's clothes. They stopped in front of the yellow section with Hecate asking her to pick two saffron yellow drapes to be her peplos and himation. There must have been about a hundred different yellow clothes on the rack, each one beautiful and elegant but she chose the one with the simplest gold embroidery of spring flowers bordering the seams. The nymphs arranged her peplos and himation to fully showcase her womanly figure, pinning the drapes in place with gold flower-shaped fibulae and tying a golden girdle around the waist in a crisscross manner, which emphasized her waist and breast _really_ well.

After she had chosen her clothing, she was led again to a separate room filled with boxes. The boxes revealed an array of jewelry, once again arranged by color. Hecate led her to the rubies and fastened a gold ruby-amethyst necklace around her neck. On her fingers, she placed ruby and amethyst rings, and on her feet, golden-stringed sandals with the same stones. She was about to attach earrings on her too only to find out that she didn't have piercings and so casually disregarded the pieces.

Lastly, she was led into a room where her hair was fixed and arranged intricately by a nymph. A golden chaplet with pomegranate and narcissus flowers metal art held her hair in place. With the placement of a silvery tissue nuptial veil, Hecate declared her finished and turned her to a very large elegantly carved mirror.

Kore almost didn't recognize her own face until she touched it and watch as her reflection did the same. She didn't see the goddess of spring reflected in the mirror. She saw someone else. Sure, she looked very beautiful, every man's dream... (And very _golden_. There was like 'gold-with-a-hint-of-Kore' going on. The jewelry also felt very heavy and unnatural. And the girdle was digging on her sides)

…but she didn't feel beautiful.

In fact, as she was being prepared, she felt like a cattle being led to slaughter. With every step done, she felt closer and closer to her doom. With every gem fixed on her, she felt like a roast being basted before a feast. The more she looked at her reflection, the more she saw herself as a golden trophy to be displayed for all to see.

888

The judgment hall didn't look like a judgment hall anymore. The giant gold and diamond chandeliers were lit brightly by blue flames – for the first time in a long while but still not as bright as Olympus – bringing some illumination to the austere black marble walls; and elegant red and black drapes hung from the two hundred foot high ceiling. Gone were the thrones of the jury (at least temporarily). Instead, fixed on the dais of the king, were two elegant thrones – the original throne of Hades and the smaller, similar-looking throne for the queen. All the gods and goddesses of Hades were gathered in the hall by order (not to mention threatened) of the two most prominent primordial gods. They were also ordered to wear their finest clothes so they wore their finest black robes. Instead of a wedding, it looked like a funeral. It was a happy funeral though, if there were such a thing…

Hades sat on his throne with a stern expression as he waited for his bride. For his own wedding, he wore a dark purple, almost black chiton (he was in no way wearing white) with a deep red himation adorned with gold embroidery. On his head was a black metal wreath, on his arms were onyx armbands embellished with rubies and a golden pendant hung on his neck. For some strange reason, he also opted to wear his mask.

Everyone looked at their king with curiosity. The last time they were arranging a wedding, they remember him smiling and being a lot more enthusiastic but it seemed like he wasn't even going to try to look the least bit happy, which was alright they guessed (…who knew anything about marriage except Nyx and Erebus anyway?).

In a far corner of the room, out of the king's earshot, three primordial deities argued. Nyx had apparently coaxed out everything from Hypnos and decided to confront her brothers about it.

"Are you telling me," Nyx said, massaging her temples. "That you arranged Aidon's wedding without me?!"

Erebus nodded. "We thought you would have disapproved, which is why we hid it from you." By this time his face looked like, 'Stab me! Maim me if you wish! I'm ready to die with honor! But please do it gently, preferably less painfully and quickly…'

Nyx's lower lip trembled as tears formed in her eyes. "I can't believe you…I can't believe this. I feel so deeply slighted."

Her husband gaped and brought his hands up, not quite sure what to do with them or where to put them on her person but somehow motioning her to stop crying. In his panic, his mouth stopped working but his face was definitely saying, 'Stab me! Torture me! Do it as painfully as you wish! Anything is better than your tears…Please. Stop. Crying!' Behold, even Tartarus seemed flustered by her actions though not as pronounced as her husband.

"I can't believe you hid something from mother either." Hypnos whispered, looking at the god of darkness with disgust as if the god had cheated on his wife. He also thought that arranging a kidnap was also so despicable that it was such a…

"Had you included me, I would have fully supported this!"

…wonderful, well-thought plan to achieve true love. The utter brilliance of it!

"Even kidnapping Aidon's bride?" Tartarus asked with a raised eyebrow a smile starting to form on his mouth.

"Of course!" Nyx affirmed angrily.

"Then there really is no harm done!" Tartarus concluded. But the look of dissatisfaction still graced Nyx's face. And though Erebus immediately noted that she was planning something…sinister (being married to Nyx and all), he was just glad the abominable things called tears stopped forming. Hopefully the festivities would distract her. If that didn't work, then he had to hide and luckily the god of darkness could never run out of hiding places (being married to Nyx and all). A small silence prevailed amongst the group as they looked toward the door, waiting for the bride to enter.

"Well I'm just glad the king is marrying her," Hypnos tried making more small talk, smiling as he glanced towards the throne.

"Why? Because he's marrying for love?" Tartarus scoffed. He still disliked the fact that Eros got to his nephew. That sly chicken.

"The king is in love with her?" Hypnos asked, pleasantly surprised. _True love, _he thought with a wishful look. He had tried finding true love in vain but then he would look at his parents and envy the solidarity of their relationship, wishing he also had a lifelong companion for his own. But if his majesty had indeed found true love with this woman, coupled with her possession of a part of him, then his majesty was truly the luckiest. "That's even better." He smiled and had unwittingly just dug his own grave.

The three ancient gods slowly looked at Hypnos with suspicion written on their eyes. The Pit god narrowed his eyes as he said, "Why do you sound like you know something that we don't?"

"_Hypnos_?" Erebus asked drawling his name warningly.

Hypnos' eyes shifted nervously amongst the three and stammered for an excuse when the doors opened and the bride entered. He sighed in relief as all attention was stolen by Kore marching towards the dais of the king.

Though her face was covered by a thin veil, she still looked so stunningly beautiful (and it was not because she was the only splash of bright color in a sea of black). The crowd gave her a wide berth straight to the dais where Hades stood up and walked down the stairs to meet her. When she almost reached him, he proffered his hand. Kore stared at it for a minute before finally taking it with trembling fingers and then he brought her hand to his lips and gently placed a kiss on her knuckles.

Unused to a man's touch, Kore felt very, very uncomfortable with this stranger's kiss. She felt even more uncomfortable when he looked at her briefly with his smoldering eyes behind his mask, those orbs swirling with shadows and boring straight into hers. She couldn't place what feelings his look conveyed but they were very intense feelings nonetheless. It felt like a thick mixture of emotions trying to smother her with the heat of his gaze. She felt a hidden threat behind his dangerous scrutiny yet at the same time she could see a hint of something else. She didn't know what it was but it was not a negative emotion. But before she could discern anything else, it was gone and replaced with cold indifference.

Hades gazed at her, revealing a glimpse of his heart. He knew not what compelled him to do it but he immediately brought his guard up again. Her touch was…electrifying, burning, no, scorching and yet no matter his instinct to pull away, her gentle, soft hands allow him to hold on. It was so confusing! She was so very dangerous and yet beckons so powerfully, luring him…like a siren. She was exactly like a Siren! She confused him and brought chaos to his order. He felt threatened by her and, if he were being honest with himself, he feared her. Yet at the same time, he revered her, adored her. Something about her captivated him like no other. But that was an understatement. It would have been fine if she only captivated him and took his attention but not if, for example, the closer she got, the more his sense, his mind was torn asunder.

He felt like an idiot.

And he didn't like it.

Gathering his senses, or what's left of it, he led her towards her throne, faced her to the crowd and then declared, "My people, I present to you your new sovereign, Queen of the Underworld, Ko —"

"Hold your tongue, Aidoneus!" the Three Sisters of Fates suddenly materialized beside him and boomed out, surprising the king as he jumped and grasped his chest, indicating his startled heart. To be fair he wasn't the only one startled – everyone was. The Fates were late but they made quite an entrance. Although chastising the groom being the first thing to do when attending a wedding felt vaguely inappropriate… (But then again, who knew anything about marriage and weddings?)

"A name blessed by Aether is not appropriate in the realm below…"

"A name blessed by Hades opens your purpose, opens your door…"

"A proper call, a proper power, a proper name, now and forever…"

They raised their hands over Kore's head, as if blessing her, their eyes disappearing and turning into shining light, and all chanted ceremoniously, "From this day forth, We, the Sisters of Fates, christen you with your true name, Chthonia Hagne Persephone Soteira Praxidice, Wife and Queen of Hades. You will always carry this name, whether you choose to be or not to be, to embrace or to disgrace, to stand or to fall, to be the sword or the shield."

And just as they suddenly appeared, they vanished like the wind.

No one bothered deciphering what the last sentence meant or mention that her new name was so ironic and contradictory. To the sane chthonic immortal mind, 'Holy Slayer, Savior and Exacter of Justice' didn't make sense (except the slayer part but especially the savior part). Oh well, the Fates never made sense until whatever they prophesized about happened or was about to happen anyway.

Afterwards the crowd was caught in an unpleasant silence. Everyone looked at their monarchs with blank faces. The events – ranging from the threats (from Tartarus), to the chariot fiasco, to the threats (again from the same god), to the wedding and now the Fates – were becoming weirder and weirder by the minute and they were just waiting for the next weird thing to happen.

"There you go then," Hades said simply as he motioned for Kore, no, Persephone now to sit on her throne before he did himself. She immediately plopped down and bowed her head, keeping her eyes locked on her fisted hands on her lap, trying not to fidget, and also making herself seem smaller because the intent stares of the ancient gods and goddesses were making her uncomfortable. Hades also took his seat but with more grace than his queen. But he also shared her feelings of discomfort when the surrounding silence and expectant stares became too prolonged to bear. So he cleared his throat and continued, "Well then, let the merrymaking commence!"

Things began to take a turn for the worse. This may as well have gone down as the most awkward wedding celebration in history. Why? No one, absolutely no one knew the meaning of the word _merrymaking__; _including Hades – he just recited off of a scroll (it was a new word drunkenly invented by Zeus). This was the next weird thing all the subjects had been waiting for. However it was their turn to feel inept. It's as if their king had suddenly commanded them to do something in a different language. So the awkward silence became even more awkward and tensed as they just stood around, shifting their weights, looking at each other, and waiting desperately for someone to do something.

Of course, the wedding coordinator had to step up and claim the attention of everyone to save the day.

"People!" Tartarus called, clapping his hands and effectively turning every set of eyes towards him — way over to the back of the room. "Our king has ordered us to do 'merrymaking', which logically means we must tell each other what makes us happy! Right?"

Hades nodded in confirmation. _Probably_.

"Alright, I'll start," the Pit god cleared his throat ceremoniously, looking like he was about to say an important speech as he introduced the first ever merrymaking to the chthonic gods and goddesses. Erebus and Nyx immediately plugged their ears, the god of darkness also plugging the ears of the unknowing innocent bride. "What would make me really happy right now would be to hack off someone's (censored) with a (censored) then I'll (censored) that exposed juicy (censored) repeatedly. Of course after that I'd have to (censored, censored, censored) him, driving a (censored) through him, making sure he's in so much agony before I (censored) him off with a (censored), feeding him (censored) before feeding him _to_ a (censored) and passing him through my (censored). And then I'll finish him off with an (CENSORED)! Ahh… and the beauty of an immortal soul is that I can do that all over again and again and again..."

He looked wistfully to the direction of his layer. Then he suddenly hugged himself, grasping tightly on his arms as closed his eyes and became lost in his fantasies. "Ahh…I'm getting…excited. Just thinking about it makes me _so_ happy…ah!" He licked his lips and smiled sadistically; unaware of all the frightened looks he was receiving from the other deities. "I'll have to remember to do all that later…" he muttered to himself, visibly trying to control himself from bursting out of the hall and rushing towards his immortal victims in his lair with a fiery flail.

And as if he had an attack that passed, he nonchalantly straightened up, shifted back to his ceremonial mood like he had just finished a rousing speech, and declared in a louder voice, "That people is merrymaking! Next turn – what about you Icelos?"

At first there was silence as the crowd was once again reminded why Tartarus was the most feared god in the Universe. And then gradually the look of enlightenment and relief washed over the crowd as they recovered (their faces turning from paler to pale). _Oh so that's merrymaking._ It was something familiar amidst the bizarre, the oasis to their arctic, and the sliver of sanity in the sea of lunacy. And the task seemed clear and easy enough: outdo each other on the gruesome – a piece of cake.

Icelos, the lilac-haired, handsome-in-an-effeminate-kind-of-way (like the rest of his 'dreamboat' brothers) god of nightmares, suddenly looked up. Everyone's eyes were on him waiting for him to say something. Tartarus set the standard so he had to come up with something _relatively_ up to par (no one – even the river god of pain or the Erinyes – could actually top Tartarus even if they tried). He glanced at his brothers by his side, Morpheus and Phantasos, smiled his usual charming smile and said, "Oh the usual – giving children nightmares of their dead relatives and hearing their glorious screams when they wake – the perfect psychological abuse."

One of the uninvited nymphs, who was all this time silently watching the wedding through the large, uncovered windows, couldn't contain herself and squealed and waved fanatically at Icelos, startling most of the deities inside (to explain, Icelos was fifth place in the popularity poll). Even the nymphs wouldn't miss such an event as the gathering of all the _gods_ and goddesses. Seldom do they see all the objects of their fantasies in one room. "Lord Icelos! You're so cool Lord Icelos!" she screamed, setting off a domino effect.

Not to be outdone, the fans of different gods began screaming the names of their own idols such as, "Lord Thanatos you're the best!" or "Lord Hypnos, I'll bear you another Oneiroi!" or "Lord Morpheus, you can invade my dreams tonight!" causing a large racket outside the palace.

Hades was about to order them to be quiet but Icelos turned to the females, winked flirtatiously and blew them a kiss. The nymphs became even more hysterical. All of a sudden though, they started dropping like flies on the floor, silent. Hypnos and Morpheus slowly let their arms down and looked scathingly at Icelos.

"What are you doing, encouraging them?" Morpheus whispered angrily.

He held up his hands and replied indifferently, "Fine." He then looked back to the crowd and, smiling towards the Keres, said, "How about the Keres sisters?"

The three goddesses of violent death were lounging on one corner and drinking chalices of something that was too thick and bright red to be wine. To be clear, there were thousands of Keres sisters however only three were invited to represent their sisterhood in the wedding (just like the Oneiroi tribe). One of the women in the group smirked evilly, raised her glass and replied, "Decapitation."

"No, that is far too quick and common," a sister disagreed. "I'd say slitting a mortal's abdomen open, grabbing his entrails and making him eat it. It's more _tasteful _don't you agree?" she was met with applause and laughter by her other sisters (Yes even though this is quite gruesome, it doesn't deserve censoring because, compared to the standard marker, it's _relatively_ mild). "What say you Moros…?"

Horror stories. On a wedding day. That was the Underworld's idea of fun…but then again, who knew anything about marriage, weddings and merrymakings?


	26. Wedding Night

"_Mama! Look!" Kore pointed to the little celebration happening down the hill. A beautiful woman in yellow peplos walked towards the regal man wearing a white chiton. They looked happy as an elderly man joined hands with the younger man, after which the latter joined hands with the woman. "What are they doing mama?"_

"_A wedding, my curious child," Demeter smiled as she explained._

"_What's a wedding?"_

"_Hmm…it's an agreement between the father of the woman and the suitor of the woman where said woman is no longer the father's but the suitor's."_

_Kore nodded and tried to understand as best she could. She fell silent as she carefully observed the married couple. "Are they happy mama?"_

_Demeter's smile faltered for a moment. "I sure hope so, child. But it's something I hope you will never undergo because," she knelt down, placed her daughter in her lap, hugged her tightly, and sighed deep in thought, "though the woman may be smiling now, I do not think there is true happiness in marriage…"_

888

When one is suddenly kidnapped, cruelly torn from everything familiar and, three hours later, prepared for marriage, one cannot help but lose touch of reality and shut down. That was Kore during the entire ceremony. She couldn't quite believe the succeeding events to be real. Not to mention, none of it seemed real in the first place.

She felt like a third person possessing a body that's not really hers and watching safely through a window. She marched blankly down that 'masquerade ball' of a hall – filled with shadow-clad immortals, their cold mask-like faces fixed with contemptuous leers, derisive sneers, and mocking or otherwise hard smiles – like it was the most natural thing in the world. She seemed unwelcomed enough.

When she was upon the pedestal of the thrones and Hades took her hand, his eyes slightly wakened her, his dark gaze too intense to be an illusion. However the visitation of the Fates brought another level of unrealism to the situation and shocked her brain back into a state of non-responsiveness again. Who would actually believe that the Great Fates, the ones not even the 'great king' Zeus could go against, stood in front of her and blessed her? The Great Weavers of the Cosmos, who was widely believed to control the destinies of _all_ whether mortal or immortal, that only her 'great father' had seen, _had been three inches away from touching her_. She never thought she'd meet deities as powerful as them in her lifetime, as insignificant as she was in the hierarchy of immortals, yet she did, which quite frankly left her in a state of utter disbelief.

But what truly woke her though and shattered her self-imposed, sanity-preserving daze and told her that she wasn't dreaming was the 'merrymaking'.

She didn't hear Tartarus' version of merrymaking, thanks to Erebus, but then paid more attention to her surroundings after the silencing of the hysterical, shouting nymphs. Though even if the god of darkness didn't cover her ears, it wouldn't have mattered because she couldn't put meaning behind the words 'gore' or 'blood' or 'wails and screams of agony' that the gods and goddesses so love to repeat anyway. Except for blood, none of those words were in her vocabulary. In fact, she was so innocent she couldn't comprehend brutality, period. And for a goddess who never saw violence in her life, who has never been hit, and whose only injury were childhood falls when she tripped when she ran too fast, the gruesome images painted by the chthonic deities flew over her head (or was rather automatically censored in her mind).

It was the subsequent ones, the milder ones, the ones that she could actually imagine (the ones that the rest of the chthonic immortals jeered for being insipid) that numbed her feet and hands; that slowed her blood in its tracks; that sent her heart racing; that made her feel sick; that pooled her saliva in her mouth; that sent chills running up and down her spine one after the other and make her break out in cold sweat.

"Making mortals laugh so uncontrollably hard they suffocate and die in their horrible mirth…!" someone said jovially followed by snorts and snickers of contempt.

She shivered once more, her face turning green. She liked laughing. And using laughter as a means for suffering made her feel very, very scared. She felt as if one of her joys in life was being twisted into a monster. She didn't understand. She was smart and intelligent yet she didn't understand how anyone can inflict hurt and suffering to others and laugh at it as if it were the funniest thing in the world. Her innocent heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds with every word they said.

Five minutes through the 'merrymaking' Kore was crying.

So far her impression of the Underworld had fallen so low it might have hit rock bottom. She felt as if she were surrounded by monsters – monsters with evil eyes, evil laughter, evil thoughts and evil deeds. She felt like she was sitting in the throne of Kingdom Evil and the one sitting imposingly right beside her was their Dark King Evil – like those villains from her mother's stories. He was the king of all that was bad, fearsome, terrible, horrible, awful etc. And she's actually married to him! Betrothed by her FATHER! She didn't know which fact was worse. She didn't know what the consequences of marriage were, or what marriage even meant, but she could guess (or rather had a feeling) that they were bad. What she did know for certain was that she did not want to stay _here_. She needed to get out.

888

Hades was partially listening to the crowd and partially rewiring his brain. There was something wrong with him. Why was he so _affected_ by the woman sitting one foot right of him? There must be something more than Eros' arrow beguiling him. It wasn't like him at all to lose all his senses, in fact that was the exact opposite of 'like him'. He needed to figure out his 'ailment' (which he was certain was not love) and for that he needed his wife's cooperation. When he turned to look at said wife, he immediately noted the large droplets of water falling on her white, tightly curled knuckles. And just like sand slipping through his fingers, he lost his senses again.

He immediately stood up, made a speech about how he was grateful to the guests for attending the wedding and for 'putting up with his selfishness', and graciously, politely dismissed the crowd. Their wedding celebration lasted for eleven minutes and thirty-two seconds (most awkward _and_ shortest in ancient history). Then he grabbed Kore's hand and dragged her into the deeper parts of the palace.

Tartarus nudged his twin brother, wiggled his eyebrow suggestively and said with a lewd smile, "I told you, he's very fast. Shall we?" he pointed to where his nephew disappeared.

888

Kore followed Hades unsteadily, her feet still feeling a bit cold and numb but she followed him without protest – anything to get her out of that roomful of evil. They didn't speak a word to each other until they reached her room. When they were inside, she mechanically walked to her bed and flopped down, staring blankly on the floor.

Hades knelt before her and tenderly lifted the veil, thus officially ending the wedding ceremony.

When he saw her tears still rolling down her face, it jolted him. Her once lively and colorful face now looked empty and ashen as if locked in a cold trance.

"It is finished," Hades said not really thinking about what to say. He just needed to say something to put back some life into her.

She looked down on him and asked, "What does that mean? Can I go home now?"

"…no," Hades replied, killing her hopes before she could even hope.

"I knew it," she whispered. "You kidnapped me and turned me prisoner." Fresh tears started rolling down her face once more, "I don't like it here," she sobbed. "Everything, everyone frightens me." _Especially you, _she added mentally.

"I-," Hades stopped. What can he say? He very slowly, very reluctantly, brought his hand to her face and wiped her tears away. It was such a rare and tender gesture from him, a gesture he thought he'd never be capable again since he sold his Being. But something about this stranger before him was making him feel _kindness_ and _concern _once again. It felt…somewhat…natural? He wasn't sure. Since 'that incident', his behavior had always been controlled by manners, decorum and protocols. He might seem thoughtful but that was because he was a well-mannered emperor. But in front of her, he was remembering a lost feeling, his genuine feelings, as if he were being greeted by an old friend that had been gone for a long time.

Well that is until she slapped his hand away.

"Don't touch me," she whispered angrily. That's it. She couldn't take it anymore. She could only be pushed so far before she snapped. With him, her captor, alone with her in the silence of the room, she could once again think clearly. She wouldn't play the meek prisoner anymore. She was done.

Her fear had turned to anger.

She stood up and ripped the necklace from her neck, the chaplet from her head, all the nice and heavy stones that burdened her person and threw them all at Hades' feet.

Hades also stood up and looked at all the jewels broken and scattered on the floor and then back at her, his countenance as hard and cold as the precious stones. "What's the meaning of this, Persephone?"

"My name is not Persephone!" she screamed, her eyes screwed shut. "I do not know for what dark _purpose_ you married me but you will _not_ strip me away of my identity! I am Kore Carpophorus, daughter of Demeter and goddess of spring! I do not belong in the realm of the dead where life ceases to exist. I am not a slayer! In fact, I'm the complete opposite of a slayer! I create life! I do not want to be married to the master of darkness and death, to you!"

She opened her eyes again, inhaled raggedly and tried to catch her breath, then she whispered regretfully, "I wish I never met you." She tried to walk past him and out the door when Hades suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"Where do you think _you_ are going?" he asked coldly, still looking straight ahead and away from the angered goddess.

"To the Upperworld," she replied, trying to pry his grip away.

"You won't be going anywhere."

"I can and I will!" she shook her hand in desperation. "Let go of me!"

"Listen!" Hades growled, turning around and grabbing her arms, pulling her closer to him. He would never admit it but her words _hurt_. Her rejection might as well have been a hard slap on the face. But he will not tolerate such…such…insolence! "I'm already your husband and you are already my wife! Your being queen has already been blessed by the Fates! Do you think you can fight your Fate?!"

"You kidnap me from my mother and you make me your prisoner! I rather be obliterated than be made a Slayer, you evil monster! I-I," Kore stuttered, her feelings were overflowing yet even then she had to hesitate before saying such a cruel word. Never in her life had she thought she would feel such an intense dislike for one person but she was feeling it now. And if she wanted to convey her feelings precisely, she needed to use it. "I _hate_ you," she spat like a curse. It didn't feel good to say such a word. In fact, she felt dirty saying it.

This time Hades couldn't fully hide his feelings and Kore saw it in his eyes that she hurt him. She immediately felt bad and wanted to apologize for saying such a thing but before she could even open her mouth, he threw his head back and laughed derisively, "What a coincidence. I hate you too." As he said that, one could almost hear the walls being built around their hearts as both of them tried to protect themselves against the barbed words. But Hades was not yet done. He had a lot of grievances bottled up and he idiotically thought that the wedding night was the perfect time to let it all out.

"I hate you for invading my thoughts, for haunting my every waking moment, for beguiling me with your eyes, for enchanting me with your beauty, for entering my heart so easily and inciting feelings that I didn't even ask for! You have somehow bewitched me, you wicked siren, and I'm becoming undone because of it!" he growled loudly.

Kore looked at him with shock. She didn't know what to say to that but she was sure none of that was her fault.

Hades took a deep breath and tried to calm his frayed nerves. When he opened his eyes, he looked at her with a piercing gaze, a wicked smile gracing his lips, "But fret not," he told her. "Because no matter how much I don't like you, I will keep you by my side. I will use everything in my power to make sure of it. I will never let you go, you can be sure of that. You will spend the rest of your eternity with me. You are mine!"

That did it.

Her grimacing face flushed in extreme anger. She could feel her blood rising to a boiling point, enough that she did something she never thought she was capable of doing.

She squeezed her eyes shut as she screamed, "I am not nor will I ever be yours!" at the same time she kicked him on the shin.

Hades schooled his face and movements as a sharp electric pain shot up from his leg. The most he showed was a slight downward twitch of the corner of his lip and a blink. In fact he managed to make a show that her kick was ineffective by stepping back and even laughing dryly, pointedly ignoring his throbbing leg. "But you already are. Welcome to the Underworld – my world. And I hope you enjoy your stay here forever, Persephone," he drawled, sweeping his arms and bowing mockingly.

He turned towards the door, his robes billowing angrily behind him with the quickness of his gait, making him look even more terrifying. With a wave of his hand, the door swept open as he brisk-walked past it and with the same wave of his hand, the door slammed shut with the ominous click of the lock. (Of course when he was out the door, he immediately – elegantly – rubbed his bruised shin).

Kore was sick of crying. She had never cried so much before in her entire life prior to coming here but that King Evil was just so mean. But even as tears fell from her eyes, she managed to stare at her foot, wondering if this appendage had a mind of its own to just simply fly off and kick someone.

* * *

**AN: For those who asked, my cover picture comes from this wonderful manhwa called "Cavalier of the Abyss". The picture comes specifically from chapter 15: Door to Thanatos. Fitting isn't it? **

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If you did, let me know of your thoughts in the reviews :D (What you liked and didn't like). Thank you. See you next saturday!**


	27. Ministers

In the Athenian marriage scroll, there was a little detail that Hades missed that two gods didn't (something about the people closest to the groom standing before the door and guarding the room to prevent the bride from escaping). These two gods tiptoed down the hall, a mischievous, knowing look etched on their faces. Like a pair of thieves in the night, the two dodged behind columns and signaled each other when the coast was clear. Finally they reached their destination: Hades' room. There was no way they were going to miss an event such as the graduation of a 'boy' to a man (no matter how old that 'boy' may be).

With a couple of hand signals and a curt nod, both of them quietly, sneakily laid their ears flush against the door. They stayed like that for about thirty minutes before one of them complained.

"It's too quiet!" Tartarus hissed.

Erebus quickly raised a finger against his lips and silently mouthed, 'I know'.

They continued their conversation through telepathy.

'_I'm not hearing any action!' _Tartarus groused.

'_It is rather disappointing.' _Erebus agreed.

'_What could they be doing inside? …By the Fates they're not just talking are they?!'_

'_I don't know. I dare not use my powers to spy directly on them. That would be quite rude.'_

'_Hold on. Wait a minute. Damn it! We're both idiots!' _Tartarus' face contorted to a scowl.

'_Why? What is it?' _Erebus raised an eyebrow.

'_Those two people inside. They're both virgins!'_

'_So?'_

The other god just simply gave him a look.

'_Oh gods.' _Erebus' face changed to horror when the concept dawned on him. '_They're both virgins. B-but surely my son is not that…incompetent.'_

'_With that love in-denial, inexperienced work maniac, what do you expect?' _Tartarus rolled his eyes. '_I don't even know if he knows of the existence of sensual pleasure. I bet you they're just staring at each other – blankly.'_

Erebus fell in deep thought, evaluating the truth in that statement and came with a conclusion. '_If what you're saying is true then this is too tragic!'_

'_Dammit!' _Tartarus had the sudden urge to punch something and settled on stomping on his counterpart's foot.

Erebus muffled a shriek of pain and clutched his abused foot. '_Ow! What was that for?!'_

'_Because I enjoy your pain. Besides it's your job as the father to educate him in such matters, idiot! Shame on you! For someone with hundreds of children, you haven't even thought of educating Aidon!'_

'_For someone who lived for more than a thousand years, I thought Aidon already knew!'_

They stared at each other for a minute then hung their heads at the same time.

'_This is too tragic!' _They both thought at the same time.

"Tartarus? Erebus?" an extremely familiar high-pitched voice sounded from behind them. "Are you spying on Aidon's wedding night, dears?"

They both slowly turned around and saw her, the mother who spawned most of the Universe's horrors, smiling creepily at them. Her eyes depicting a multitude of sinister thoughts which could turn into a multitude of sinister realities. From the looks of it, she was there to dish out those realities at them specifically. Oh no. She was angry for real. They needed to distract her! Quickly!

Erebus laughed nervously as scratched the back of his head with his hand then muttered under his breath, "It's not spying if there's nothing to spy on…"

"Excuse me. What was that?"

Turning serious, the god of darkness clutched his wife's shoulders and whispered in a severe tone, "Nyx, my love. Don't be alarmed. But we have grave news to offer."

Tartarus nodded, equally serious, "Your son…"

"Our son…"

"What about Aidon?" Nyx asked, worry starting to creep over her face.

Erebus took a deep breath. "He may or may not know how to do 'this and that'. And we're both leaning towards he may not know."

She narrowed her eyes dangerously, "And how did you come up with that conclusion?"

"Listen for yourself," Tartarus motioned towards the door.

"Why would I do that?" Nyx admonished trying to be mature despite being extremely curious. "It's terribly rude and ill-mannered. You should learn to respect their privacy!"**  
**

"Because…" Erebus paused not knowing how to break the terrible, tragic news. "There's nothing there."

"You lie!" Nyx whispered in disbelief as she slowly, reluctantly, leaned towards the door. When she was about to lay her ear against the door, someone interrupted.

"What are you three doing to that door?"

All three immediately straightened up and turned abruptly to meet the blank black eyes of Thanatos.

"Oh dear!" Nyx exclaimed. "I assure you it is not what you think my dear."

"If you are looking for his majesty, he's not there," the death god shook his head slightly. "Both bride and groom are in her majesties' quarters."

"Ah!" Both Erebus and Tartarus exclaimed at the same time, bouncing a fist on an open palm in a 'eureka' gesture.

"Well then there's nothing to see here. Shall we go?" Tartarus offered briskly to his brother.

"Yes, we should go," Erebus replied, knowing what would happen next. They must run as soon as possible before she noticed.

"Halt!" Nyx's frigid voice sounded as soon as they turned around. Oh she noticed alright. It was quite obvious that they're not really that good at using subterfuge. "Where do you think _you're_ going?"

"Out?" Erebus tried uncertainly.

"You're not going anywhere, _dears_." Somehow, the way she said 'dear' made the situation a thousand times more ominous. "First you plot this whole marriage without me, or rather specifically kept me out of it; then you coerced my poor, innocent, upstanding Aidon to do something as criminal as kidnapping a bride with your devious silver tongues; and then you try to spy on their wedding night? Honestly, I thought you were more mature than this."

"But you were also spy—" Tartarus started rather petulantly but was immediately cut off when Nyx glared at him, daring him to complete that sentence.

"I have not forgotten the fact that you slammed the door at me, dear brother," she smiled evilly. "I'm so sorry, my dears. I'm afraid you have reverted back to your childish and immature ways. And for that I must also revert back to the role I thought I have left behind."

Both gods shivered and shrank back involuntarily, a sense of doom descending upon them.

"You know you are going to need disciplinary actions from your dear elder sister now, right? It is the reason you have tried so hard to distract me after all." She was still smiling as she grabbed both men by the hair. "Come Tartarus. I believe you do remember your _favorite_ place?"

Back in the beginning of time, Chaos and Grandfather Kronos created a special room just for Tartarus as a personalized punishing chamber for this particular frequently misbehaved god (there's a reason an odd blue planet rotates on its side…not to mention the infamous 'Messenger Incident'). At first they tried punishing him through painful methods but that was as effective as expecting a fish to drown in water. And so they created a room that transcends time and dimension and brought together all of the Pit god's antithesis. It was a room a thousand times worse than Elysium. This torture chamber contained lethal amounts of joy and laughter; dangerous rainbows, butterflies, bunnies, kittens, puppies etc., and a smiling sun; loud, malicious clapping and happy songs (e.g. it's a small world after all®) sang non-stop by little children's high-pitched voices (the only reason he's not dead yet was because he's immortal).

Try as he might to kill the abominable creatures, they multiply like the hydra's head. The last time he's been there, he almost drowned from fur and large starry round eyes.

That's right. The Pit god was extremely allergic to happiness, joy (except his own sadistic joy) and _cute _things. He abhors _cute _things. And no one knows where that room chockfull of cuteness exists but Nyx. It's also worth mentioning that there were absolutely no grapes. It's a truly horrible, horrible place.

"No please! Anything but that! Anything but nursery rhymes! I'm too young to be obliterated! I will go insane!" Tartarus screamed. He tried to wrestle himself free from Nyx's grip, even at the cost of a fistful of hair, but the goddess was more powerful than him (the title of Queen did not fall on Nyx by default). But woe to the men who will inevitably invent the nursery rhymes. Because when they die, which they will, Tartarus had already reserved a special compartment in his layer just for those bastards.

Nyx pointedly ignored the struggling god and then looked at Erebus with a smile still fixed on her face, "And to you, my loving husband. You remember your little place in Helios' chariot?"

Erebus' eyes widened. "No, please! Don't do this! Nyx, my love, I love you!" he declared so desperately. "Doesn't that mean anything?!"

Nyx laughed with an extra high-pitch – a true sadistic laugh filled with malicious glee. "Of course I love you, dears. That is why I'm only confining you in your special places for only two days."

Erebus sighed in relief. He could handle intense bright sunlight for two days. Though of course that would _almost_ obliterate his existence, not to mention hurt a lot, it wasn't the longest time he'd spent in that compartment. But Tartarus felt the punishment was unjustified – they were only trying to help Hades after all – and he would have none of it.

"We didn't do anything wrong, you wicked old hag!"

Three things happened at the same time. Nyx's fake smile intensified, devolving into a scary, creepy grin that would haunt Thanatos' (the unfortunate audience) days for quite a while; Erebus' face froze as he turned to look at his brother with a sad look, his expression clearly saying, 'I will always remember you, brother'; while Tartarus just limped and surrendered to his fate, clearly regretting his heedless choice of words. If Nyx was unjustified before, she was definitely justified now.

No one, absolutely no one, could attack her vanity. Especially her age.

"Oh dear," Nyx said, her voice an octave lower and looked directly at Thanatos who had stood frozen during the entire scenario. He felt as if he were seeing something that he should not have seen. He didn't know what a nursery rhyme was but if it could make the most frightening deity in the universe scream then it must be really horrible. It was quite an impressive feat to traumatize Death himself. "Forgive this unpleasant display, my son. But be a dear and please tell Aidon that his dear uncle Tartarus will be missing for a week…maybe more." Then they vanished.

Somewhere two faint screams were heard…

Yes. One does not simply incite the ire of this goddess and expect to walk away unscathed.

888

Hades, upon coming out of Kore's room, walked straight towards the practice hall to vent his anger and had stayed there since. He was angry mostly at himself though. He reflected about his disgraceful actions and words and felt shameful and embarrassed of them. A calm, reasonable god in nature, he very rarely felt angry at anything or anyone. However nowadays, when he loses his temper, he could be a tad bit violent. He released his chained blades and proceeded to make mincemeat out of the practice dummies with exquisite grace, speed, strength, fluid elegance and stealth.

"My lord?" Thanatos appeared standing on the stairs as he watched his master move his blades in an elegant dance among the man-shaped wooden sculptures. These practice dummies were recently enchanted to move and attack the enemy with varying levels of difficulty from mortal soldier to god-like strength and movements. Hades was fighting ten of them at the same time set on their most difficult. He was surrounded on all sides but after one last twirl, he stood still and exhaled. Suddenly the dummies stopped moving and broke into several pieces.

"Yes Thanatos?" Hades finally replied coolly, not even breaking a sweat.

He hesitated. Now might not be the appropriate time to report the primordial deities' frivolities. "You seem disturbed, my lord."

"Disturbed?" Hades asked punctuating the question with a whimsical stab on a struggling piece of wooden hand. "I am most certainly…disturbed. I've been disturbed for a while now." When his minister didn't comment, he continued. "Tell me Thanatos, what kind of god do you think I am?"

"An honorable god," he answered immediately.

"Honorable?" the king laughed sarcastically. "No, I am not honorable."

"What makes you say so, my lord?"

Hades' face turned serious as he sank in deep thought and took the question to heart. "Because I have made a dishonorable mistake."

"A rectifiable mistake, my lord?"

"I don't know," he turned to the side and smiled wryly. "Does locking her up sound rectifiable to you?"

"You mean Lady Persephone?"

Hades nodded and walked towards the stairs, sheathing his blades. The wooden splinters slowly gathered and reformed themselves and walked towards the storage room where they neatly fell in line, ready for their next abuse. He sat down on a step with arms draped on a propped knee beside Thanatos who also took a seat beside him. He sighed, "Not only that. I told her that I hated her and that she was mine – things you don't normally tell a lady or a goddess, let alone your wife. She retaliated of course and I completely understand that, in fact I deserve it. But I don't remember ever being this…possessive." He leaned his chin on his arm. "Something is wrong with me and I think I'm sick."

"I have heard that you have been shot with Eros' poison."

"From whom?" He raised a questioning eyebrow, his tone tinged with a hint of embarrassment.

"From Hypnos, my lord. But that is beside the point. I think you might be lovesick." It was a term he had heard the mortals use before to describe the feeling of sickness related to Eros' darts.

Hades shook his head, buried his face in his arms, and sighed heavily. "I'm not in love Thanatos. I know exactly what love is because I have been in love once. And this is not it."

"And what is love, my lord?" asked the virgin god who didn't have a clue of what that emotion was or any emotion for that matter.

"Love is happiness," Hades slowly looked up with a reminiscing expression. "That unbearable feeling that is both torture and pleasure tightly intertwined in a delicate dance bonded by passion and intense desire. It is akin to falling and flying at the same time while remaining rooted to the ground…" He trailed off and fell silent, lost in the memories one could almost see virtually passing behind his unseeing eyes. Of course even with such an explanation, Thanatos understood nothing of love; in fact Hades' definition might have made the idea more muddled than before. Too much emotion-filled words for an emotionless god to comprehend. But he gathered that it seems after the first sentence, love ceased to sound pleasant.

After a while Hades continued, "Frankly it is indefinite, or more accurately, ineffable. But the point is I do not feel the same with her."

"Lady Persephone?"

"Yes. With her, she simply haunts my thoughts, her superficial beauty also affects me and I believe the dart is partially responsible for that. With her, I am only merely…" he searched himself for the correct term that had eluded him from the beginning. When he found it, he felt just a little bit victorious, "_attracted_ it seems – hardly a reason to lose my senses or act so possessively or dishonorably with. And that, my friend, is my problem exactly. I feel that something more than attraction is making me act this way. I can feel something else moving my heart when I'm with her, something vaguely… fundamental. And this _something_ demands that I keep her by my side…"

"Perhaps it is the beginning, the seed of love, my lord?" The god of death took a shot in the dark. This was probably the most out of his element conversation in his life. What did he know of love really? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Honestly this should be a conversation Hades should have with either Nyx or Erebus because they would actually be helpful (but Nyx was currently busy incarcerating her brothers). Despite this emotional disability though, he would try his best to listen and be the 'voice of logic' for his king.

_No matter how glamorous I might have painted love to be, I don't wish to fall in love anymore,_ Hades thought. He feared love. Or rather the pain of losing someone he loved. For him, it would have been better to never fall in love than to experience that heart-wrenching feeling of regret and loss. Because to care and to love someone was to give a part of himself to that person; and when that person suddenly vanishes, it leaves a frighteningly empty void, so cold and so dark, and it hurts as if someone took a sword and hacked his body in half and tearing that other half away. And the pain never goes away.

"Hn. It doesn't actually matter if I feel attraction or 'something else'," Hades said in a severe tone directed at himself as he stood up. "It doesn't excuse me from my actions last night."

"So what would be your next course of action, my lord?" Thanatos replied, equally getting off the floor.

"The reasonable thing to do," he sighed, hanging his head. "I'll apologize. Then I'll figure the rest from there. Thank you, Thanatos, for listening."

"It was my pleasure, my lord," Thanatos bowed. Well at least he _seemed_ to have helped.

With a last sigh, Hades turned around and left. When he was finally out of sight, Thanatos whispered in his direction, "An honorable god indeed."

888

Hades turned a corner down the hall and accidentally bumped into another god. "I'm sorry. I wasn't looking, Hypnos."

The blue haired god shook his head in reply, "No, forgive me, my Lord. The fault is mine. I was simply looking for my brother."

"It's quite alright. I left Thanatos in the practice hall, if he's still there that is. If that is all, well then, excuse me." Hades nodded cordially before setting out to Kore's quarters.

"Are you going to meet the queen, my lord?" he asked.

Hades stopped and turned, "Why, yes."

Hypnos' eyes shifted nervously and hesitated for a moment. At the time when he thought about what to do with his knowledge of the spring goddess' special possession and whom to tell it to, the Fates simply answered, 'for all will come in good time'. What better time than the union of the king and said spring goddess?

He decided to speak after all, "My lord, may I speak to you in private? There is something you should know about the queen…"

888

A soft knock sounded. "May I come in Lady Persephone?" Hecate's voice drifted through the closed doors.

"Come in," she replied, trying to rake her fingers through her disheveled hair in an effort to at least make herself look decent. After ripping the chaplet from her head, her hair resembled a cozy nest just waiting for a bird to live in it. When she caught sight of Hecate standing in front of her and carrying a silver tray with a chalice of ambrosia, she continued, "And please call me Kore."

"Lady…Kore," the other conceded rather reluctantly. "I have brought refreshments. It is ambrosia from the Upperworld."

"Thank you," Kore replied. She took the golden chalice with both hands and drank its contents gracefully. The ambrosia's healing and soothing properties had worked wonders for her mood.

Hecate looked around the room and noticed the scattered jewelry on the floor and Kore's disheveled appearance. She didn't know what to think about it but one thing was for certain – it must have been a rough night. She reluctantly filed the new information in her mind: Hades was a rough lover. She didn't know what to feel about that though. "Do you feel well, my lady?"

"Why do you ask?" Kore looked up.

"Your eyes are red and puffy from tears it seems," she pointed out. According to some scrolls, the first intercourse was always accompanied by some physical pain. This she could not prove or disprove seeing that she's a virgin herself but it was her job as the only immortal in Hades who knows medicine to know (honestly her knowledge of herbs were not necessarily used for healing but for cursing and poisoning. She just accidentally discovered their healing 'adverse' effects …).

Kore sighed and sat despondently on the bed again. "I'm sure you know. But why do you care?"

Hecate knelt down in front of her and grasped her hands. With a soft smile she replied honestly, "I could be considered a healer and a friend. Though I am ignorant of your," she cleared her throat. "Marital rituals, I wish to know if you are in pain."

She looked so friendly and accepting that Kore couldn't stop herself from throwing her arms around the dark goddess' neck and seek comfort. "It hurts so much," she wailed, crying loudly like a child. Everything hurts – especially her heart from his hurtful words. "I was so scared and I have never felt so disrespected in all my life."

The witch goddess was stunned. Kore's words were not painting a pretty picture indeed. It sounded…intense. She didn't know what to feel about that either so she simply brought her hands around the sobbing goddess. "There, there," she said, running her hands through her hair comfortingly. "The experience wasn't in any way pleasurable?" she asked partly out of concern and partly out of curiosity.

"No!" Kore retracted immediately. "He was so mean to me! He grabbed me so roughly and accused me of beguiling him!" then she muttered under her breath, "Whatever that word means."

"Oh how horrible!" She thought she knew Hades. But now she was seeing her king in a totally _different_ new light. Maybe even the opposite. She _really_ did not know what to feel about that.

"And then…and then after that, he told me that I'm his!" she cried, her voice hitching. "I said that I'll never be his and kicked him but he just laughed at me and locked me up!"

"Oh my goodness…" For a moment, Hecate saw Tartarus' face superimposed on Hades'. There were only two gods responsible for planning the wedding – two gods who knew of the entire situation…and neither were virgins. It wasn't farfetched that maybe one, or both, had taught Hades the rituals in the bed. But it seems as if only one had taught their king…By the Fates, please not their king...

Suddenly a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She glanced at the door then turned her attentions back at the new queen. "Do not worry, my lady. I shall make sure king Hades shall be gentler next time," she said reassuringly with a gentle smile. "Please excuse me while I answer the door." She stood up and pulled the Queen with her then set her gently on the bed. Then she walked through the antechamber and down the short corridor before she reached the double doors to Kore's quarters.

When she opened the doors, she saw none other than the King.

Hecate immediately crossed her arms imperiously. "I hope you're here to apologize," she said with a withering glare.

"I am," was Hades' terse reply.

"Good! Because you have perfectly traumatized our poor queen. How could you? I thought you were better than this Aidoneus. Must you be so rough with your words and actions? Why, it was her first time too and you've been so…so _Satyr_-like, a minion of lustful Aphrodite! You ought to be ashamed of yourself, taking her virginity so viciously —"

"Hecate," Hades said interrupting her tirade. "You must have had the wrong idea. I didn't touch the queen intimately."

There was a moment of silence as Hecate processed his words. "What? But she was crying saying she was in so much pain…"

"I might have said some hurtful words," he looked down shamefully. "I will admit that I have not been in my best behavior last night and I'm not proud of it. If you please, I'd like to apologize to her in person."

A blush crept up on her face, revealing her embarrassment of having the wrong, not to mention lewd, idea. She coughed in her fist and stepped aside, "Well, don't let me keep you up. Excuse me." And then she immediately turned and left the scene.

Hades shook his head, clearly amused. _Ministers_, he thought fondly.

* * *

**AN: And so there we have it. And yes in ancient greece, the best friend of the groom stood guard on the door while the married couple do it and sometimes made lewd jokes that the couple can hear. Hades doesn't have a best friend but he has the best father and best 'uncle' and they thought they would do. Hm. And as ridiculous as 'it's a small world' seems, I couldn't quite think of a more fitting torture for the grandmaster of tortures and pain. **

**So you have more of Hecate and Thanatos :D **

**And more to come! **


	28. Smile

When Hades walked past the corridor and revealed himself in plain sight, Kore immediately stood up and ran to the other side of the bed, using the bed as a barricade against him. As if that were not enough, her eyes shifted around the room, looking for an emergency exit in case the situation called for it but having found none and following the basic rules of fight or flight, she picked up a small porcelain vase sitting innocently on the gold bedside table and held it up threateningly against the masked intruder.

He stopped and surveyed her. For someone like her, politeness and kind pretenses, which he was a master of, should be reasonable. "I'm offering you a truce. I believe we have never met in a preferably amiable nature."

"What do you want King Evil?" she narrowed her eyes, suspicious.

His eyebrow and the corner of his lip twitched simultaneously when he heard what she called him. "Well, first, I'd like to inform you that holding that vase threateningly against me is not necessary," he nodded towards the porcelain object. "You have my word that I will be most civil. Second, I'd like to apologize."

"Apologize?" Kore repeated, reluctantly setting down the vase where it belonged.

"Yes. I believe we got off on the wrong foot last night. I'd like to amend that." He lacked social skills, sure, but he knew enough to gain someone's trust if he really wanted to.

"You're going to let me go?" she asked with hope shining once again in her eyes. Hoping against hope that this was all a mistake and she would be back again in the Upperworld as soon as possible.

Hades paused. He wanted to seem friendly but he also wanted her to know that her request was even more impossible now that Hypnos let him know the exact origin of his attraction. He _will_ be complete and he _will_regain his former self…by all means necessary as he once swore. Putting on a more confident and commanding air he said, "I am willing to make a deal with you."

"Deal?" she looked at him skeptically. "What kind of deal?"

"You have something of mine and I want it back," he replied casually, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. "If you can either make the flowers in the Asphodel Fields disappear or successfully teach me compassion, whichever comes first, only then I will let you go. But until then you must promise to stay with me."

"Compassion?" she rolled her head to the side in confusion. "You want me to teach you how to care?"

"Yes. Do we have a deal?" Compromises and deals had always been his special talent.

She nodded vigorously. "Yes!" It seems easy enough. She just has to make King Evil not evil anymore. But what did he mean she had something of his?

"Breaking this deal will have _severe_ consequences. Do you understand?" he said with a hard, austere voice, one he normally reserved in judgment.

She hesitated for a bit and replied in a softer tone, "Yes. But you will let me go, right?"

He nodded. "Keep your word and you'll have mine. Well then, Persephone —"

"Kore!" she immediately interrupted. "My name is Kore."

He blinked, unfazed. "You have a name blessed by the Fates. As long as you're in my realm, you will be known by this name. Whether you choose to be or not to be, you will forever and always be Queen Persephone of Hades."

She looked down and twiddled her thumbs. "But…but…I don't like the name Persephone."

He smiled ever so slightly. "I used to have only two names too before until I lived here. My birth name is Hades Aidoneus yet now I am known as Chthonius Hades Aidoneus Clymenus Polydectes." The corner of his lip curled a little bit more. "I do have the longest name in this entire realm and I am notorious for having so many more titles. At first it did seem uncomfortable to have so many names attached to me but I eventually got used to it."

It was like a ray of light through the dark clouds; no, maybe like a flash of lightning in a dark storm; no, it might be comparable to something like if someone gathered all the light of Helios' chariot, magnify it a thousand times, and force it to form a narrow beam of light and shoot it through the middle of the original darkness before creation – that was Hades' smile's effect on her. One might say she was beside herself. So much hope filled her that she couldn't help grinning so brightly.

"What are you suddenly so happy about?" he raised a curious eyebrow.

"You _can_ smile!" Kore laughed and clapped and did a little victory dance. "You _can smile!_" she sang.

He frowned. "You make me sound like an invalid; like I have been physically incapable of smiling."

"No, no, no, stop!" she waved her hands frantically in a gesture for him to stop frowning. "Smile, smile, like this!" she pointed at her cheeks as she grinned widely.

"You look ridiculous. Smiling for no reason like that," he groused petulantly.

"Well then, my King Gloomy," she said playfully. "I'll let you call me Persephone if you smile for me."

"Is that a deal?" he asked a smirk forming on his face. King Gloomy was definitely better than King Evil (and much more accurate too).

"Sure!" she started enthusiastically then her face fell. "But…"

"What is it?"

"I guess smirking is a start. It's lopsided though. Can you smirk with both corners of your lips turning upwards?" she said innocently mirroring his smirk and then pushing the corners of her lips upwards with her forefingers in a symmetrical fashion.

"No," he replied with a blank look.

She pouted and crouched in the nearest corner of the room. "I guess you can't call me Persephone then," she muttered quietly as she sulked and drew circles on the floor. "And I guess it's going to be hard to teach you compassion if you keep that up. To think that you're the one who wanted to be taught yet you don't listen to your teacher…"

"Alright!" he conceded with a defeated sigh and struggled to smile. It felt ridiculous to smile for no reason at all. He was merciless, serious and stoic and nowadays his smiles were rarer than planets lining up. But he swore to himself that he would retrieve what he had lost by any means necessary. If it meant smiling just for her then he would gladly pay the price. However…his smile looked like a grimace instead. "Happy now?"

"Yes, yes!" she cheered as she straightened up. She wanted to laugh really loudly at his ludicrously pained smile but that would mock King Gloomy's efforts and he would most definitely frown again. And so she curbed her amusement. "But…"

Again with the 'but'. It must be another absurd demand of some sort. Really, what had he gotten himself into?

"Will you take off your mask?"

The smile immediately vanished from his face as he answered solemnly, "no," a hand flying on his mask, his helm of darkness, as if making sure it was still secure around his face.

"Why not?" She asked curiously. She had never seen this god without his mask. What did he look like beneath that black cover?

"I don't trust you…." he stated bluntly but after seeing her face fall in hurt acceptance, he decided that it was not polite enough and added, "yet."

Kore looked up again, appeased. His 'yet' surely meant that he would trust her in the near future. "Oh that's alright. I was just curious. I won't force you to take off your mask. But I guess since you apologized to me, I will also apologize."

"Hn? What for?"

"I'm sorry for calling you King Evil and King Gloomy, Aidoneus," she said as she looked down on the floor. "I guess you're also right in saying that we really didn't meet under the most pleasant circumstances, so I'm willing to take my words back."

"Which ones?"

"I-I don't hate you anymore…" she said softly, still keeping her head down.

Hades was pleasantly surprised by her words and at first doubted her sincerity. But he could see that she was so naively honest and couldn't lie to save her life. He couldn't feel any malice or ulterior motive from her. Without her looking, he found himself smiling kindly at her, another episode of the unique missing piece coming back to him.

"Ah! And um…though I'm not ready to be your queen yet, I want to at least be your friend. Is that alright?" she slowly, shyly, looked up and was awed when she saw him smile a true smile for the first time. It looked fitting and beautiful on him.

"I'm sorry too," he replied. "I do not hate you and you are right in saying that I do not, nor will I ever, own you. I believe I do deserve that kick for that. But I meant the rest of my words."

She looked to the side and tried to remember which words he was referring to but came up blank. Hades found her confused face rather adorable and decided to indulge in a little bit of cruelty, a little revenge against the months of trouble she put him through. He approached her, his countenance turning devious as he drove her again to her corner. Kore stumbled backwards, her back flush against the wall, unsure of his intentions and perplexed by his actions. And then he brought his arms up to bar either of her side and locked her in place.

"Wh-what are you —" she stammered before she was interrupted.

"Shall I help you remember?" he said, his smile turning into an evil smirk again as he leaned close to her ear and whispered sweetly, "You invade my thoughts, my every waking moment. You beguile me with your eyes and enchant me with your beauty. You enter my heart so very easily and incite feelings within me that I didn't even ask for. You have somehow bewitched me, _you wicked siren_, and I'm slowly becoming undone because of you." It should be worth noting that he managed to say 'you wicked siren' with just a tiny bit of seductive inflection though it's also worth noting that Kore didn't even notice it.

_Oh! Those words. Wow, that's almost verbatim. No! That's not it! It's so absurd!_ _I couldn't have done all that to an important god like Hades! I'm just little old me, a minor deity. Just a plain goddess of spring that's all. I couldn't possibly have done any of the things he's accusing me of! I plead not guilty! I do not invade people's mind and hearts! That's like a parasite! I'm not a parasite. And I'm a goddess not a siren…! I don't understand!_ Kore wailed in her thoughts, her eyes almost spinning with confusion.

He backed away and laughed quietly at her flustered appearance, which was immediately proceeded by a critical internal brain malfunction on her part. Maybe asking him to smile was a deadly request on her part, especially when seen up close. She might end up an idiot. Oh, no! An idiotic goddess would be the ultimate shame of legendary proportions. Her mother just might disown her! Aah!

"Well then, would you care to join me, my friend Persephone? I'll give you a tour of the Underworld," he extended the nook of his elbow with suave genteel.

Kore dumbly took the proffered arm and replied, "Yeessh," her tongue not quite working properly.

She was quite adorable. He thought that maybe smiling for her was not that hard after all.

_Forgive me mother. I think I've become an idiot. And on second thought, I guess Persephone doesn't sound too bad after all_, she thought. _I just don't have to_be _a slayer._

888

First Hades led her around his labyrinth of a castle, pointing out rooms and halls that, though seldom used, were pristine and shining. Shining in a sense that everything had gems or precious metals of some sort, reflecting light in a sparkling fire-fly kind of way, not like the blinding-light shine of the Olympian palace. But the only room of great importance was the largest room which was the Judgment Hall, formally known as The Court of the Ultimate Verdict. Without the wedding decorations, the judgment hall looked imposing and strict, giving off a certain aura of majesty, coldness and finality.

The throne of Hades and his jury were arranged in a semicircular and descending fashion on the tall dais with Hades' throne sitting on the highest and center step. The shades usually form two lines and present to these thrones, one received by the king and the other received by the Three Judges. With Hades absent, there was only one line going straight to the judges. The king acknowledged their work with a curt nod and introduced the queen to his ministers and jury.

When they exit the palace, the eternally silent Asphodel fields greeted them. Further away from the palace, the shades walked around aimlessly, bowing to the monarchs when they passed by. They walked until they reached the banks of Styx. The river goddess Styx rose from the watery depths and greeted the queen with a knowing smile. The type of smile where she knows what she did was improper, tricking the spring goddess like that, but she did not regret doing it. And then she returned to the river before Kore could even chastise her.

Charon later docked on the banks, his magnificent ship filled with the newest batch of souls. The monarchs let the shades disembark first before riding on Charon's ship. The boatman, who was in dire need of a proper conversation and was quite excited to receive the queen, explained a lot of things as he managed the helm. He told her that the dead could not speak but they clearly remember their lives for they have yet to drink from Lethe. Some were obviously not yet ready to die and regret and dread shone in their eyes. Some though welcome the afterlife with serenity, realizing Hades' realm was the end of their lifelong journey. But whether they were ready or not, they were all judged equally according to their deeds in life. It could be said that one's destination in the afterlife was decided by the living themselves and not Hades. In fact, if not for Hades' intervention, they would still be sorted according to Tartarus' S and M standards. Charon was about to explain the meaning of S and M but caught Hades' warning look and decided to settle on saying 'Lord Tartarus' whims'.

"How does the Upperworld think of Lord Hades?" Charon whispered to the queen standing beside him like an obedient student while glancing carefully at his king and making sure he looked out of earshot. Hades was walking along the far side of the deck, tracing a hand on the golden embellishments of ship's rail.

"To be honest, I've never asked my mother about him or the Underworld in general much. I only ask about what I see or experience directly and so everything is new to me," Kore smiled.

"Good, good!" he replied zealously. "Please do take your time getting to know him. He's a wonderful god!"

"I'm sure he is," she replied. But Charon must have imagined some doubt in her tone and began singing praises about the king and how his duty was thankless and the mortals even deem to curse him for it and yet how amazing it was that to Hades, duty meant duty, nothing more and nothing less – he doesn't rely on praise or worship or beg for it. Truly admirable. Even as they disembarked, Charon would insert an acclamation like a true admirer.

"You seem much loved, Aidoneus," Kore smiled at him while they walked side by side.

"I do not know when Charon began acting like that but I assure you he's the only one," he replied stoically.

"Oh, I'm sure he is," she said with a slight disbelieving humor coloring her tone.

On the other side of the river was the ever vigilant Cerberus, who looked after the penniless shades stuck on the banks of Styx. They could not pay for the boat ride and thus must spend a century on the borders of Hades' realm, in want of peace but denied of it. Cerberus' job was to make sure these poor unfortunate souls never cross the border to the mortal realm and become ghosts who haunt the living.

But then there were malicious mortals who beckon Hecate's magic and summon the spirit of the dead to curse their neighbors (of course when these malicious mortals die, they're sent to Tartarus because stealing souls from Hades was a violation of the law). These shades were allowed to pass by Cerberus but they would have a hard time going back to Hades, without a guide and/or with the same hound blocking them thus they were stuck in the Upperworld, wandering around and haunting mortals. It was a fate worse than death. When the ghosts overran the Upperworld, the mortals soon learned to ban summoning spirits and hunted down those who resort in witchcraft to do so.

Kore was at first understandably very frightened of Cerberus. But when the dog displayed his recognition of his sovereign, he turned very docile. That was when the goddess realized that he was really just a dog. He may be frightening and powerful by his own right but still a dog just the same – and an exemplary guardian at that. Hades let her get fully acquainted with Cerberus before he showed her to a place where the shadows thinned.

"This is the border of my realm. Further ahead is one of the portals to the Upperworld," Hades explained, looking expectantly at her.

"Oh, I see," she looked towards the direction he pointed with longing. _I miss you already, Mama,_Kore thought as she looked at the exit. _Please wait for me and I hope you don't try to worry too much. I have to fulfill my end of the bargain first before I can see you again. I'll teach Aidoneus to the best of my capabilities._

The longer she stared, the darker the look in Hades' eyes became. But after a while she turned towards him with a determined face. "Well then, what else do you wish to show me Aidoneus?"

He half-expected her to break his hold and run towards the exit. He half-expected her to renege on her promise. Of course he would have immediately used his power to retrieve her had she done so but he wanted to test her and prove that she was not that trustworthy of a deal. If that were to happen though he would have to resort to other means to regain his lost heart.

"I believe you have already seen a lot of my realm so far and I'm afraid I'm most needed at my post. Lady Nyx would also be returning from her duties soon and it will be night in the Underworld. We can continue this tomorrow. Would you like to return to your quarters and rest?" he asked politely with a smile. Though he still needed to consciously think of smiling, with enough practice it should become natural (or at least he thought).

"Alright!" she smiled back.

"Also," he added, and without turning to look at the exit, massive obsidian spikes shot from the ground blocking the way to the Upperworld entirely. Kore gasped in surprise. That was amazing. Did he do that? How did he do that? She could only make saplings shoot out of the ground. Now that she was queen, could she learn that? But in hindsight, she could have been caged by those spikes. It was a good thing her mother taught her to honor promises or she could have been trapped in those spikes.

"I forgot to mention that no one can leave my realm without my permission. Please be cautious," he said, still smiling. He hoped that the danger of impalement got through to her. Although she wouldn't die because of her immortality, it could still hurt and he wasn't above using threats if that's what it took.

"Can you teach me how to do that too?" came her unexpected question.

"Do what?"

"That," she said, pointing at the black rocks. "Shooting spikes out of the ground."

"Hn. Maybe someday."

"Really? Alright." After a small pause she continued, "You don't have to worry about me though Aidoneus. I promised that I won't leave unless you let me."

"I am not worrying. I merely stated a fact." _An insurance, _he thought.

"You can trust me Aidoneus." She looked at him with a disarming grin.

"I know," he said, still wearing his polite smile. "Shall we go back now Persephone?"

888

Later that evening, Hades sat on his throne with an easy air. "Something is amiss with our king," Aeacus, one of the Three judges, whispered to his demigod brothers. Themis glared sharply at the three, a silent warning for them to concentrate on their duties and not be led astray by idle gossip. They could only stop their work if the shades stopped coming, which was almost never. However Aeacus had decided that this was too unusual to pass up. But in respect to their goddess, he would simply point the fact out and leave it at that.

"Tartarus!" Hades said and again fell silent as another shade was presented to him.

"Asphodel!" The three soon chimed together afterwards.

_'What do you mean?' _Rhadamanthys asked across their shared psyche where they conducted judgments.

_'Watch,'_ Aeacus replied while simultaneously reviewing the next shades' life story.

"Asphodel!" the Three Judges said as one.

"Asphodel!" Hades' own decree followed soon afterwards.

_'I think I see what you see,'_ Minos remarked after stealing a glance of their king.

"Tartarus!" Hades and the three judges sentenced at the same time to two different souls.

_'You see it too?_ _So I'm not imagining it then,'_Aeacus hummed.

"Elysium," the three judges said to the soul of a young boy. With how strict the laws were and how unscrupulous the mortals had become, the Elysium fields might just turn into a children's playground.

"Tartarus!" Hades once again said.

_'I think it's frightening actually_,_'_ Minos replied.

_'What are you seeing?'_ Rhadamanthys said exasperatedly.

_'There, on his face, on his lips, you see that?'_ Minos calmly pointed out.

"Asphodel," the three judges said.

_'Is that…?'_ Rhadamanthys trailed, his eyes growing wide as an imperceptible shiver ran down his spine.

"Tartarus!" Hades condemned once again. (Although his judgments were without a doubt fair, his sentences seemed to revolve around those two places most of the time.)

The three judges right then and there all equally deemed that their king was definitely more frightening when mercilessly sending souls to Tartarus with a never-before-seen smile than mercilessly sending souls to Tartarus with a straight face.

_'It is not within your job description to judge your king's facial expression! Now keep your focus!'_Themis' scolding voice suddenly boomed across their minds, making the three immediately straighten up a little more in their seats with slight embarrassment.

* * *

**AN: "You know I can't smile without you..." heheh. Work it Aidon, work it. **


	29. Trust

"Have you seen my daughter?" Demeter asked for the nth time. For nine days straight she had searched and searched, day and night, everywhere, and asked everyone, never stopping and never resting, not even for a drink of water. It didn't matter if they were a minor deity, a nymph or a mortal. She asked. And every time she received a 'No, I haven't' or 'I'm sorry', or 'I don't know' she could hear and feel her sanity cracking. Like a mortal mother whose child suddenly vanished without a trace, her fears and worries haunted her to the point of insanity. What had happened to her child? How did she simply vanish? Was she safe? Was she scared? Was she crying for her? Every second spent apart must be another second her child endured a terror she did not know of. Every second spent apart was another second that she wasn't there for her daughter. Kore needed her, she could feel it. She needed to hold her daughter tight and tell her it's alright. She needed to be there. Her daughter was calling her and she wasn't there! The thought was tearing her apart!

"Who?" the random fisherman raised a questioning eyebrow as he gathered his net filled with fish.

"My daughter! Kore, the goddess of spring!" Demeter exclaimed clutching her hair in exasperation. "She is this high," she motioned with her hands about three inches below her crown. "With chestnut brown hair and green eyes!" she added hysterically.

The fisherman looked at her as if she were only did her description fit a lot of Grecian women, her daughter is the goddess of spring indeed. He rolled his eyes and replied, "Look lady, I don't know who that is and I don't care. Go away and bother someone else!"

Demeter roared and cast a curse on the insolent mortal and turning him into a fish. She continued to walk along the seashore, sobbing as she searched. "Kore, Kore, my child, my child," she called softly, her voice breaking. "Where are you?"

The strap of her worn sandal suddenly broke, tripping her and making her land flat on the soft sand. She had searched on foot and on air, looking and calling until her throat hurt. Her throat still hurts. And she was so tired – physically and emotionally. But she shook her weariness away and replaced her sandals through magic. She gallantly stood up and composed herself. She must not give up. If she gives up, then her daughter will never be found.

"Demeter?" someone called kindly from behind.

She turned around and saw her brother Poseidon standing on the shallow ocean waves, a look of concern and worry marring his handsome and usually carefree face. The sight of her brother crumbled her newly-composed demeanor as she rushed into his arms crying, "Have you seen my daughter?" repeatedly.

Demeter was a strong and stubborn woman. And it took a lot to rattle her. In fact, Poseidon had never seen his sister so distraught in his life. But what he didn't know was that Kore, since her birth, had become Demeter's reason to live. Her daughter was everything to her and her life and existence was nothing without her daughter.

888

Kore was lost in a very strange world. In this strange world, only four people were willing to hold her hand and guide her throughout her literal otherworldly experience. Ever since the agreement between Hades and herself, she started trusting the people around her. If the king wasn't that bad then surely she simply misunderstood the rest of his subjects.

The first was Nyx. The beautiful night goddess was very easy to trust. Even though she was the personification of night, which was by nature cold, dark, powerful, enveloping and deceiving, she exuded welcoming warmth like a mother. She was like the grandmother Kore never had (if only she knew how much of a grandmother Nyx really was). She especially liked the affectionate 'dear' Nyx always called her. However she hasn't seen the lofty goddess often.

The second was Hecate. She was reminiscent of an elder sister like Athena though she insisted on being called a minister or an advisor. She claimed to be her right hand and that it will be her duty, in the very near future, to instruct her of the power structure in Hades and to groom her to become a proper queen. However she hasn't started on any lessons yet.

Why? Because most of her time was preoccupied and reserved by the King of the Underworld, the third person Kore trusted.

Kore's presence in the Underworld did nothing to quench Hades' desire to see her; in fact it might have even worsened. The time he spent doing his duties considerably lessened as he adjusted his schedule around her. Only when Kore was asleep did he conduct his judicial obligations because he wanted to spend time with her as much as possible, ensconced in her charming presence.

Case in point, Hades and Kore were currently walking through the Netherworld gardens located behind the palace. Here Kore saw all the different succulent fruits of the earth carefully tended by the gardener Ascalaphus, though the gardener was currently absent. She saw the clusters of large, round, and ripe purple grapes hanging from the vines and exclaimed, "These look delicious!"

Hades watched as she began to reach out for the grapes, already prepared to stop her from ingesting the horrible bitter fruit, but the moment her fingers touched a grape, she jerked her hand back immediately.

"What's the matter?" Hades asked.

"These fruits…they're poisonous," she whispered, looking at the grapes with curious awe. "I've never felt anything like it. How is it that they're so poisonous?"

He smiled at her question. It was becoming easier to smile now and somehow with her it was more natural than forcing a smile in other more (now that he thought about it) inappropriate situations. He found it amusing that her questions almost never began with why and therefore didn't sound judgmental. They were simply questions borne of curiosity yet at the same time already accepting of the truth in front of her, never wondering why instead wondering how or what or when, etc.

And it was quite a delight to spend his time around her and answering her curious queries. "All the fruits of the Underworld are poisonous to the non-residents. Take for example a mortal man," he explained, picking on of the pomegranates hanging from the tree beside him and cracking it open. "One seed from this fruit is all it takes for him to die. But if an immortal partakes of this whole fruit," he popped the seeds in his mouth, "he or she becomes a permanent resident of my realm."

"So it's a fruit that…harms instead of nourishes?" Kore clarified. She knew the appropriate word was 'kill' because he said the living mortal died but she was wholly uncomfortable to say so. It was like saying a bad, ominous word, akin to summoning a ghost, which was ironic considering she was held in the kingdom of the dead.

Hades simply nodded. "It harms the living but it does nothing for all those who live here but excite the palate. The grapes you were touching a while ago are actually very, very bitter. And you see those lemons?" he pointed to the lemon tree behind the pomegranate tree. "Those are the sweetest fruits in this realm, sweeter than Gaea's honey. It's still deadly though."

"Amazing!" she exclaimed as she eyed the fruits with interest, wondering what the other fruits must taste like if they taste different from the fruits she was used to. The one thing that Kore enjoyed in the Underworld was that everything was different if not opposite of The Above. For example, she learned that 'day' was during the time when she felt sleepy so it was nighttime in the Aether and 'night' was when Nyx was finished performing her duties above and returns to Hades.

"What about the fruit you're holding? What does it taste like?" she asked, peering at the pomegranate with squinted eyes as if she could decipher the taste of the fruit if she looked closely enough.

"Oddly, it's the only fruit that tastes the same as its Upperworld counterpart," he replied eating another seed.

"Is there a reason it's odd?" she cocked her head to the side, still staring at the pomegranate intently and a little bit hungrily.

"If there is a reason, I'm not privy to it. It simply tastes the same as that of the world above. It is my favorite fruit though." He shrugged.

Kore looked up. This was the first time he was sharing his personal opinions on something. "What a coincidence. I happen to love pomegranates too."

"Well unless you want to become one with the Underworld," Hades said looking away, hoping that she wouldn't catch the second meaning of what he just said. "You can't have this one. And of course it would…break our deal."

"I know," Kore smiled. "What about flowers? Are the asphodels poisonous too?"

"Asphodels?"

She looked down sheepishly. "Well I've never seen flowers like that before. And it's a shame that they remain unnamed. So I named them after the place in which they grow. Is that alright?"

"Yes. Asphodels…quite alright indeed."

"So are they poisonous?" she repeated. She knew the asphodels were special. The deal was to either teach him how to care or make all the flowers in the Asphodel fields disappear – one or the other. What significance did the asphodels hold enough to make it a part of the deal?

When she first saw the six-petal white flowers, she could already feel that they were out of her domain. They held a small bit of life but it was different from the life she was used to blowing to the plants in the Upperworld. They didn't feel quite right, somehow dead. A dead life, it's an oxymoron!

But of course, as the goddess of spring, no one knew more about flowers than her.

"No, they are not poisonous," he answered simply.

"I would like to see them please," she requested.

"Why?"

"To learn why you want them gone."

Hades paused and thought about it before he hesitantly nodded. He led her towards the Asphodel plains where the flowers grew closest to the palace walls. He noticed immediately that some of the flowers had begun to wilt but he didn't deem it necessary to mention it to his companion. She had only been here for a short while yet she had already begun returning his smiles to him. She was already changing him, healing him and his land was reacting to it appropriately. He almost wished they didn't wilt just so he could be with her more…

What kind of thought was that! The fact that it was wilting was a good thing. It meant that he would be a competent leader once again. It would be just like it was before, judging souls day in and day out like a well-oiled machine. But afterwards…afterwards…what? Did he even want an afterwards? Dare he hope? Of course he wanted her to remain if possible but that was entirely her choice. Too late he realized he had struck yet another deal with yet another set of deadly consequences.

There were two solutions to his problem: One was to convince her to stay with him or two was to stop himself from falling deeper into his attraction. If he were to choose the first one and she still chose to leave him, would he really be able to let her go?

If he were to choose the second option, he would be able to let her go and it would be a lot less painful for him to see her leave.

He looked down at the goddess marveling the flowers with her eyes and slowly trailed his vision down her form, taking his fill of her womanly curves, ghosting his eyes down her every line like a sweet caress…

At this point he wanted nothing but to wring his hands around Eros' neck. If only he could dig his hand into his chest and rip of his heart out together with that golden arrow without severe consequences, he would have already. No, the Fates decided to play with his destiny and used the dove-winged fiend to curse him with something as trivial as _attraction._

His heart should have already learned its lesson; his mind was once pushed to insanity and to the point of contemplating suicide; his hands were stained with the blood of the innocent in a heinous massacre; and now his subjects were still being deprived of their king. All this he did because he loved one woman more than himself. The stakes were too high. They were still too high for him to submit to such frivolous feelings and he wasn't willing to pay the price for the second time.

He looked down at the goddess again but this time he managed, with quite a bit of effort, to look without desire. He was willing to learn how to care and be affectionate but that was all he was willing to give.

While Hades was busy pondering on things, Kore had already crouched near a stem of blooming asphodels, admiring the clusters of white flowers. They reminded her of lavenders, though not as fragrant. Truly she had never seen plants like these before. _They would look very beautiful in the Upperworld_, she thought…and out of curiosity, she made the mistake of touching one of its petals.

_Sadness. Anger. Denial. Grief. Pain._

'_My regrets follow you to the grave,'_it whispered.

These intense negative feelings flooded her mind as the flowers tried to tell her what they were _made_of. She had never felt any of those in her life (at least with such intensity) and yet these flowers were impossibly borne from such deadly emotions. Tears began to fall from her face as she empathized with these feelings and took them as her own.

Hades, upon seeing her tears, immediately pulled her from the flowers, thinking that she had been harmed in some way. "You really shouldn't have touched them," he scolded her. She didn't say anything but kept on weeping silently. "Why are you crying?" he asked surveying her hands if she had been pricked or something.

She nodded slowly. Curling her fingers and intertwining them with his, she said, "I just feel so sad…"

His heart started to pound without his permission as he looked at his hand enclosed in hers, warmth crawling up his arm and towards his heart, igniting his senses. It was such a sweet innocent gesture coming from her and it wasn't meant to be romantic but it made him just a little bit happy all the same. Happy?

_Love is happiness._

He shook his head. If that's what it took, then he must not allow happiness touch his heart either! He was going to be stubborn about this.

He then brought his other hand towards her face and wiped the stray water droplets from her smooth and soft cheek. "Are the tears really necessary?" he asked, trying to act concerned yet distant at the same time. It was quite a difficult balancing act but he was determined to manage. It also seemed like he got himself a very emotional creature for a wife. Her myriad of smiles and tears were quick to come and go without warning it seemed but they were all an endearing part of her sincere personality.

Kore suddenly let go and gently wrapped her arms around him, half seeking and half giving consolation. "The flowers are made from regret and sadness and I felt the pain so clearly that it might as well have been my own." She looked up and searched his eyes for the answer to her next question. "You ask me to make the flowers disappear but how do I make the hurt go away?"

With unintentionally rigid movements, he returned her embrace _very briefly_before fluidly moving his hands to clasp her arms and push her away. It was too much. Her nearness was making him physically ill and he swore that with how loud his blood pulsed in his ear, she could hear his pounding heart like thunder. He was undeniably attracted to her but he was just as unsure about how to act around her, especially with his recent decision. And though she was tempting him, he certainly wouldn't want to act on his base desires.

"Figure that out on your own. I think it's time for you to go back to your room and rest," he replied not as a request but as an order. When she nodded sadly, he couldn't help rewording his statement, "rest and then give this presented challenge your thoughts."

He himself must also think of ways to solve his newly, self-appointed challenge: think of ways of how not to fall any further.

888

Kore retreated to her room and was once again sitting on the bed, staring into space in deep thought when a knock suddenly sounded on the door, to which she immediately replied, "Enter." And the fourth person Kore trusted, her nymph handmaiden named Daeira sauntered in, carrying a silver goblet of ambrosia served in a silver tray.

"How are you today Your Majesty?" she asked grinning, though it didn't reach the nymph's beautiful smoky eyes. "I do hope you enjoyed your day with His Majesty."

"Thank you Daeira," Kore replied as she took the chalice and drank the luxurious drink of the gods. After a moment of staring at her reflection on the golden liquid, she started quietly, "Do you know anything about the flowers in the Asphodel plains?"

"Those flowers?" the dark haired nymph repeated slowly, setting down the tray on a nearby table. Then walking towards Kore's vanity dresser and grabbing the goddess' golden brush, she continued. "I might know something. Why do you ask?"

"Because I touched one earlier today…and it wasn't…pleasant," she whispered, recalling the horrible experience.

"I suppose that's to be expected," she replied mysteriously as she sat behind the goddess and combed the brush through her hair. "They are the most dangerous flowers in the realm after all. But we simply call them the Tears of the Underworld."

"Tears?" she repeated, closing her eyes and reveling in the feeling of the bristles against her scalp.

"Life cannot thrive in the realm below, the realm of the dead. The living is not allowed here – that is the law. Yet those flowers…strangely continue to bloom," Daeira explained in a low soft voice, as if she was sharing a very dark secret. With her shift in tone, Kore felt as if the room suddenly went a few degrees colder. "They started appearing ever since that incident…"

"What incident?" Kore whispered nervously.

"…when she died…" she trailed, an inscrutable smile appearing on her face. When she looked at Kore, her mistress' face was starting to turn pale in fright. "Oh, it's nothing, my lady," she said with sudden cheerfulness. "I'm just babbling nonsense that's all. Did I frighten you?"

"A little bit," Kore replied, biting her lower lip.

"Well, forgive me if I ever frightened you, my lady. Now as an apology how would you like to take a walk with me?"

"Where would we go?" Kore asked excitedly, quickly forgetting her earlier uneasiness with the prospect of a new adventure.

She smiled. "I have a place in mind and I'd like to keep it a surprise until we get there."

"Is it a more pleasant place than the gardens?"

"Perhaps. I'm not giving anything away, your highness." She winked. "Shall we go?"

* * *

**AN: Did you know that Asphodels in the flower language means "my regrets follow you to the grave"? I just realized I reached 100 reviews two chapters ago...That never happened to me before. Thank you for all of your reviews! I appreciate your continued support. **

**On a side note, I just posted the 2nd Chapter of Childhood days :D (It's Zeus-centric...)**


	30. The Universe's Grand Canyon

Demeter paced around on the blue marble floor, her eyes following the silvery reflections of water on the stone. Every five paces she would look towards the large windows, where she would see nothing but colorful, shimmering fish and sometimes an orca or dolphin passing by. Then resume her pacing after marveling at the sight for a moment.

"You would wear a hole in the floor if you continue doing that," a voice said from behind her.

"Poseidon!" she started, turning towards her brother who was casually leaning against the bedpost. "Do you have any news for me?"

He shook his head. "Not yet."

"I- I don't know what else to do." She started wringing her hands together as she pursed her lips nervously. "She's been missing for a week now and I know that something evil must have happened to her. I can feel it in my gut. I need to be – I need to be out there. I must not stop looking. Thank you for all your help Poseidon but I must be on my way."

"Demeter, listen to me." He walked towards her and gently clasped his hands around her arms. "Listen to me. Let me help." She looked so small and vulnerable, so different from her usual spirited and stubborn self, that he couldn't help but offer her consolation. "I can help you look for her. I will spare no resources to do so. For you."

She snapped her attention to him at once and brought her hands to cup his face. "Then please! I beg of you brother, help me find her!" She suddenly felt the room spin around, her knees buckling beneath her as she broke down kneeling on the floor and sobbed, her fall cushioned by the sea god. "I need her. My daughter, my precious Kore is the light of my world. She is my source of happiness and my reason to exist. Without her I am nothing!"

He sat down and slowly gathered her fallen form in his arms and lap, rubbing her back to ease her trembling, "Shh, it's alright, it's alright. I'm here," he whispered in her ear as he placed a tender kiss on her crown. "I will help you find her Demeter. If she's important to you then she is important to me too."

"Poseidon…" she whimpered as exhaustion finally started to kick in. Even a goddess had limits.

"Rest," he told her as he rocked her. "I'll definitely have news for you when you wake."

"Thank you," she whispered on the crook of his neck before she succumbed to deep, healing slumber. They stayed like that on the floor for a while with Demeter sleeping in Poseidon's embrace as he combed his fingers through her corn silk tresses. With a sigh he carried her, laid her on the bed and covered her with a warm sheep wool blanket.

He stayed with her for a while and reacquainted himself with her. It has been centuries since they last saw each other. He looked at her changed features, his fingers tracing the small crease line between her eyebrows, caressing her tearstained cheeks, and touching her bite marked rosy lips. At that moment, he wanted nothing but to erase her worries. Slowly he leaned in forward and ghosted a soft kiss on her lips and let it linger there for a bit before he finally stood up and left the room.

Once outside the doors, he immediately called for Delphin.

"Yes, your majesty?" the dolphin prince said appearing dutifully by his side as always.

"Demeter's daughter Kore is missing. Has she ever been in my kingdom?"

"No, your majesty. The spring goddess had never set foot on any seashore in the world. But there is another way to find her whereabouts."

"Speak."

"The all-seeing god Helios, my lord."

888

The next morning, Poseidon went inside Demeter's quarters bringing a tray of food. She rejected nourishment at first and declared that she wanted to immediately continue her search. It wasn't until he threatened not to tell her his useful piece of information until she finished every morsel on the plate that she began devouring the food. Only then did she truly realized how starved she was. After she was done eating about twenty courses (unlike mortals, goddesses didn't have to worry about their figure. They were perpetually beautiful) she waited for his news impatiently. He only went as far as mentioning the name of the sun god before Demeter had already sprinted away from the sea kingdom and flew to the skies towards the eastern end of the world with the sea god barely following her.

"Helios! Helios!" Demeter called repeatedly once she spotted the golden palace, the titan's abode. Helios was quick to respond to her racket, already coming out of his house and waiting for her on his palace's front steps. When Demeter found him, she immediately threw herself down before him without regard for propriety, and grabbing the skirt of his himation she cried, "My daughter is missing, taken from me and I don't know who or what and how. I have looked for all of nine days, over land, air and sea calling for her name yet she was never there to answer. Please, from one god to another, if ever I have pleased your heart in word or deed, please tell me where she is!"

Poseidon gently pulled her away from the titan and held her hand, offering his presence as support and nodded towards the sun god, silently seeking for the answers as well.

Helios was filled with sympathy for the pleading goddess. "I'm sorry for your daughter's disappearance but you should know that Zeus the cloud-gatherer himself gave her to Hades as his beautiful wife."

He turned his head to the side and remembered just how he learned more of that information than he needed. It happened on such a day that Apollo had (once again) asked (the retired) Helios to drive the chariot temporarily across the sky for the last time (again). Honestly, if he weren't that fond of his apprentice, he wouldn't have easily agreed. He knew the boy was shirking responsibility to play in the mortal realm but he let him. Was he too lenient perhaps? Too easily swayed by his flattery? To his surprise though, someone was already in the chariot when he arrived. Literally.

_"Lord Erebus! Please! Are you still alive? Speak to me!" the retired sun god urged as he pounded his fists vigorously against the sun chariot's floorboards. He didn't actually believe that the mythical prison in the floorboards that Hyperion often threatened him with when he misbehaved existed. He thought it was something his father used to just scare the childhood daylights out of him._

_"Yes Helios, I'm still alive…" he replied weakly, which was followed by a pained groan, his voice coming mysteriously from the flat floor. "Barely…"_

_"Let me help you distract you from the pain, my lord! Speak to me! What have you done to deserve such punishment?" he yelled like how a man would yell at someone suffering from extreme cold not to sleep lest he died._

_"I made my love cry…"_

_"What happened?"_

_Another weak pained groan. "We didn't allow her to arrange Aidon's wedding celebration…"_

_"Aidoneus?"_When did that happen? _He continued mentally. Even with his I-see-everything-the-light-touches power, he didn't see the actual kidnapping because of Hades' barrier. But at least he saw the betrothal._

_"Goodbye Helios…"_

_"Lord Erebus!"_

_"Tell my wife I love her…"_

_"Lord Erebus! How was Hades' wedding? How did it happen?"_

_He choked as if he were choking on some liquid. But there wasn't any liquid in the sun! He then took a deep, ragged breath before he answered, "Aidon, Zeus, Hera, Styx, Eros, Gaea, Tartarus, and I all made it happen…"_

Helios was able to extract a lot of information from the old god like an adept interrogator, which was easy considering how delirious Erebus was. And somehow the idea of the original legendary twins planning anything together with Gaea and Zeus (of all the deities in the Greek pantheon!) already explained why the god of darkness was locked in his floorboards. With that kind of combination, one would think that they were about to execute 'Plan: World Annihilation'.

The simple fact remained: Apollo only needed to sing a few notes to win a woman's love and lust while Hades apparently needed to recruit the whole brigade of extremely powerful, older-than-thou gods to snag an unwilling minor goddess for a wife. He didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

He shook his head and banished his stray thoughts aside. He could not tell Demeter what Erebus told him because it wasn't what he saw with his own eyes. All he saw was a betrothal and that was the truth. With a sunshine grin he said, "But cease your lamentation Demeter, for you have such a great son-in-law, the king of a third of the universe to be exact – your brother Hades. You should be happy your daughter would be well taken care of. She is queen!"

"What…Zeus! Hades!" she gasped and clenched her fists and jaws. "Zeus and Hades!" this time she muttered with much loathing through gritted teeth. The image of the two brothers with sinister smiles on their faces as they passed Kore between each other like sold cattle behind her back cropped to her mind.

Zeus... just the mere mention of his name brought the memory of rape to her mind and cruelly played it in a loop. And the more it replayed, the more the image morphed into something horrifying. Like a waking nightmare, her image was replaced by her innocent daughter's while Zeus was replaced by Hades. And then both of them slowly turned to look at her, with Hades wearing that bloodstained evil grin she saw when he decapitated that woman with his bare hands; while her daughter screamed painfully beneath his unrelenting violence, calling and reaching out for her help.

"Demeter! Demeter!" Poseidon called as he shook his sister who had gone into shock. Her face had gone pale in a matter of seconds while violent tremors racked her already feeble frame. Both Helios and Poseidon couldn't help but be concerned for the harvest goddess. She was without response for a few moments before her unseeing gaze once again focused on reality.

With bitter tears in her eyes, she screamed Zeus' name to the skies with unspeakable rage before she turned herself into a falcon and flew straight to mount Olympus in the blink of an eye. Poseidon once again followed right behind her, worry reflected on his face. He had never seen his usually gentle sister this angry. It almost reminded him of an angry Cerberus. And it turned out that he had every right to be worried.

888

Down in the Underworld, two women walked along the banks of Styx, following the river south. Kore had never been this south before and the path was getting steeper downhill as they moved forward. The hike was starting to turn unpleasant as the rocks became sharper, rougher, and bigger, the color gradually shifting from obsidian to dull red.

"Where are we going? Is it much further?" Kore asked, beads of sweat starting to form on her brow. Was it her or was it starting to get hot?

"Not much further," Daeira replied. They suddenly heard faint, slow and ominous drums, low chants and bell tolls that gradually crescendoed and sped up the further ahead they went. The low notes resonating with her heart and tugging at her consciousness with its hypnotic rhythm. "Do you hear that? We're almost there…"

Suddenly the unearthly drums, singing, and bells stopped and a massive bronze wall with a double-door gate emerged from the ground before them. They both took a step back away from the gust of dust it created. Carved on these towering gates were the writhing forms of mortals undergoing the most brutal torments served by the monstrous winged Erinyes and on the crown of the gates was the face of the god of this layer, smiling angelically at the suffering beneath his image.

Daeira leered and stood to the side. "We're here," she said.

"Where is here?" Kore asked in a shaky voice, feeling very nauseous and frightened by the macabre images before her.

The massive gates slowly swung open, answering her question, welcoming her, and showing her exactly what the word damnation meant.

She thought she only took a single step forward…but she suddenly found herself at the edge of a cliff, a few loose rocks falling in to the fiery abyss below under the weight of her feet. She quickly scrambled back and when she looked up she saw a clear panorama of anguish and dolor. The arid air and the putrid scent of brimstone and smoke violated her lungs, making it hard to breathe. The fast flowing lava from the river Phlegethon meandered between the rocks and plateaus and created a torrid atmosphere that could burn an egg in three seconds (forget fry). It felt like she had just opened an oven that was somehow baking rotten eggs! The flames dimly illuminated the colossal, impossibly deep and vast canyon, casting the blood red rocks in shadow. Caged by the immense sheer drop, the multitude of shades writhed on the ground like a sea of maggots teeming on rotten flesh, their continuous screams and wails creating a dissonant chorus as they were cleansed by the river of fire, wailing and pain.

She immediately turned around, away from the appalling scene, but she lost her balance and landed on all fours on the floor before she retched. When she looked up, she saw Daeira gazing at her with a discordant calm.

"Are you alright, my lady?"

Kore shook her head. "No," she gasped and inhaled raggedly, again the pungent scent of smoke and sulfur assaulted her. "Please take me away from here."

"Tsk…tsk…tsk…. I'm disappointed. Are you not our queen?" Daeira's whole demeanor had gone cold.

"Wh-what?" Although it was so hot she could feel her skin burning, a shiver managed to crawl up her spine.

"Kneeling on the ground, close to tears and vomiting, you look like one of those condemned mortals," Daeira jutted her chin with open contempt and crossed her arms. "Weak and sniveling like a child, are you really our queen? Are you really a goddess for that matter? During the whole week I served you, I also observed you, looking for the reason the king chose you. But I couldn't find any. Even now, I do not sense any commanding presence in you. I do not sense any power or elegance in your simple attitude. Do you know there's a deep chasm of difference between you and the king when you stand side by side? You are nothing compared to him. Do you honestly expect any of us to kneel before you?"

She humph and continued, "But you know what I found most disgusting of all? It's your pathetic attempts to turn his majesty into you. You corrupt and tarnish his brilliance with your every breath. And that, my lady, is unforgivable."

She suddenly grasped Kore's arm and twisted it behind her back, forcefully turning her around to face the fire storm before her. Grabbing a fistful of the goddess' hair, she jerked her head up and said, "Behold, your kingdom! Face it, your highness! Revel in the suffering, the fire, and the abyss! Isn't it beautiful?"

"Please let me go, Daeira," Kore sobbed as she tried to fight the nymph's vice-like grip while squeezing her eyes tight to escape the fear overwhelming her. "Forgive me. I was never ready to be your queen. I never wanted to be your queen! Please let me go!"

"Unfortunately that was not the answer I was looking for. You are a mere parasite in this realm. I'd be doing his majesty a favor if you burned!"

With one fluid motion, Kore found herself plummeting to the depths of Tartarus.

* * *

**AN: What exactly was Poseidon's role in HHtD? He was mentioned there after all. Here's my fanfic version of it! Haha! By the way, if you're curious what Tartarus looks like exactly, it's the Grand Canyon. **


	31. Damsels and Knights

The doors were opened with such a force that it was almost detached from the wall. Almost. Now they were only hanging by a few hinges. The culprit stomped in with her face contorted in an ugly grimace while whispering just one word with such icy hate that made the whole room plunge into the middle of North Pole, "Zeus."

In the room only Zeus and Hermes were present. They both looked up. But while the latter took a step back, the former only crossed his arms and demanded, "What's the meaning of this Demeter?"

"I want her back. You will give her back," was all she said.

"If this is about our daughter then there is no discussion here. I've already given her to Hades." He waved her away dismissively. "So as I was saying Hermes —"

"SHE IS NOT YOUR DAUGHTER!" Demeter screamed as tears of hate had started falling from her eyes. "SHE WAS NEVER YOURS TO GIVE! ARE YOU STUPID? WHY CAN'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"

"I will not have you scream at me like a dog Demeter. Let me make this perfectly clear and get this through your pretty little daft head: she is my daughter and always will be. You're nothing but a container, an empty vase, a piece of fertile soil from which my seed has grown. It is within my every right as her father, her creator, to give her away as I please. You should already be satisfied that I did our daughter a favor and made her a queen of the Underworld. So I suggest you control your temper before I lose mine," Zeus replied. A flash of lightning landing three feet from her emphasized his point.

Demeter didn't flinch. She didn't even notice the bolt. She just kept seething as she marched forward towards Zeus throne. Neither Zeus nor Hermes expected or saw her next move.

She slapped him.

Her hand blurred as it flew straight towards Zeus' face in the blink of an eye. The only evidence that it happened was the sharp sound and Zeus' head whipping to the side. The slap didn't physically hurt him but it definitely bruised his pride. And so out of reflex, he retaliated.

"Demeter!" Poseidon yelled as he pushed her aside and received Zeus' blow instead. A gust of wind and lightning flung him away twenty feet in the air until a pillar behind him broke his flight. He gasped as he felt the impact rack his body and the stone crack with the force. The next thing he knew he was on the floor, lightning crackling around his body, coughing blood and holding his broken ribs.

"Poseidon!" Demeter screamed as she rushed to his side and tried to hold him up. Touching him electrocuted her but she was determined to help him.

"I'm alright," he managed to whisper, getting up on all fours, before descending into another coughing fit, more of his golden blood staining the floor. With every cough, he felt his ribs dig deeper into his lungs, bringing with it wave after wave of pain.

"You – You dare lay a hand on me!" Zeus growled before raising his hand and sending another wave of lightning towards the pair. But this time Poseidon managed to summon his trident and create a water wall which effectively absorbed the surge of electricity.

"Do not defend her Poseidon! She needs to learn her place!"

"As long as I still breathe, you will not touch her!" Poseidon gasped as he climbed on his feet, using his trident as support while extending his other arm, putting Demeter behind him and shielding her from further attacks.

"Then you will be punished along with her!" Zeus declared, summoning a whirlwind infused with lightning around him. The vortex carried him up in midair as he readied his bolts to take their aim.

Poseidon's expression turned equally fierce as he braced himself on the floor and summoned an equally powerful whirlpool around him and Demeter, enclosing them in a protective barrier. He stole a glance at her frightened countenance before he returned his sights towards the enemy. This was one of the few instances where he was willing to go head to head against the king of the gods without regrets.

With water and fire spinning at deadly speeds at each opposite ends of the room, the brothers faced each other, two mighty elements, enraged and ready to clash.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Two women appeared. Hera and Hestia observed the fracas with disappointed scowls on their faces. Behind them was Hermes who seemed to have called for help to disperse the heated tension.

"Poseidon! Zeus! Please sheathe your weapons. I'm sure we can all solve this without undue violence," Hestia said, her eyes darting nervously between the two gods.

Zeus looked at the two women and contemplated on whether he'd be reasonable or not. After a careful look at Poseidon's injured form, he decided to be reasonable. He really did not want to fight with his brother because the last time he fought with a brother, more than three-quarters of his worshippers died and his power was taken from him. He really did not want to experience that again. Slowly he descended; his lightning disappearing and his tornado turning into a harmless breeze.

Seeing that Zeus retracted his fangs, Poseidon decided to put away his also. The only trace of the watery vortex was a deep ring on the floor which the water cut.

"I do not want to discuss anything with him. Please take me away from here," Demeter whispered to Poseidon. He nodded in reply and prepared to make a quick exit. "But hear me Zeus! I will not work the earth until I have my daughter within my embrace!" she managed to say before they disappeared into a thousand bubbles as the sea god took them to his domain.

"Who does that woman think she is?" Zeus growled angrily as he punched a nearby wall and demolished most of it. His angry breaths gradually slowed into an even tempo as he reeled in his destructive rage. Then with a frightening calm he continued, "If that's how she wants to play, then I'll play her game. If she thinks she can bend me to her will, then she is way over her head."

"I do not think that is wise," Hestia started. "I think we should talk to Demeter and find a compromise."

"Zeus, please reconsider," Hera tried. She really did not want to get into another argument with him seeing that they have only recently started to rebuild their relationship. But she was also moved to help Hestia's argument because she loved her sister. Torn between two loyalties, she felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"You both be quiet!" he thundered. "I do not need your worthless thoughts! I am not at fault here. And you!" He glared at Hera. "Surely you remember that we swore to make sure he stays with his bride this time. Or do you want a repetition of that incident?"

Without waiting for either of their response, he turned himself into an eagle and flew away from the palace.

888

In Tartarus the Erinyes sisters became suddenly alert of an unwanted presence.

'_Sisters what do we do? The Hecatoncheires had opened the gates and allowed the queen passage through the master's layer,'_ Tisiphone communicated calmly to her other sister's thoughts while emotionlessly driving another blunt rod through the shade's gut. The Erinyes were not only the ones who control the punishment but also act as another set of gate guardians to their master's layer like the Hecatoncheires. (Just like housekeepers and butlers.)

'_The master is not here. We, as his mere servants, do not make decisions or act without his explicit orders. It is unfortunate but we cannot do anything about her,'_ Alecto replied as she busied herself with another compartment and redirected the flow of Phlegethon to flood the shades trapped in the hole but then another unexpected tremor happened and unpredictably shifted the landscape once more, putting her target a few kilometers south from where it was originally… and straight to the belly of the fiery river, saving her the work. _'Wherever the master is, he is extremely agitated. The land would not stop shifting…'_

'_Indeed, it has become very difficult to keep track of all the prisons,'_Megaera agreed as she swept through the land and tagged the multiple dungeons.

888

Kore screamed as she fell, the fiery depths welcoming her like an open maw to its prey. When sharp jutting rocks came to view, she closed her eyes and waited for the impact and the pain to arrive.

But it never came.

Instead a different kind of pain gripped her shoulders and the feeling of falling disappeared as she was suddenly jerked upwards. Still screaming, she looked at what sharp object caught her and found a bird's talons imbedded on her shoulders. She traced where the talons were attached and found an equally frightening sight.

It was a harpy. Half-woman, half-bird, it opened its mouth impossibly wide (its upper lip seemed to have melted and dripped onto the lower lip and joined there at some places) and screeched at her. Kore screamed louder reflexively. The monster jerked its skeletal head back in a futile effort to avoid the auditory attack. And so in its defense, it tried to screech even louder to drown Kore's noise. It didn't work. It turned into a screaming contest.

The harpy couldn't take it anymore and one of its claws let go of her shoulder. Kore finally realizing her situation stopped screaming and began scrambling to hold on the other claw that was still attached on her.

Finally the main problem was over but then it had another problem. The harpy didn't know which compartment to put the goddess in. There didn't seem to be a tag on this prisoner. So it flew around aimlessly, bringing her further away from the rim and deeper into the depths of the valley before it finally let go of her. Kore tried to hold on tight on the monster but the monster was determined to shake her off.

Kore fell once again but this time she didn't fall far. She found herself landing with a thud on a small plateau. Once she got past the pain of the fall, she got up and looked around. From one horizon to the other, there was nothing but a vast expanse of cave ceiling above, like a starless night sky. Occasionally some harpies carrying a shade would pass by like a bird on flight carrying its prey.

She tried to stand up and see where she came from but the rim was nowhere in sight. Instead she was surrounded by rock outcrops similar to the one she's standing on. She tried looking over her small plateau only to find a steep and long way down to darkness.

Her knees buckled, the height causing her vertigo. Once again she found herself in an unusual situation. She was trapped in the most treacherous place in the Universe: Tartarus. She loved adventures, sure, but this felt like a bit more than she could chew.

What was she going to do now?

_Weak and sniveling like a child, are you really our queen?_

She shook her head. She wasn't going to sit here and do nothing, that's for sure. Daeira was wrong and she would prove it. She was a strong and brave woman like Artemis. All she needed to do was calmly think of a way out. If the stories were accurate and Tartarus was a circular pit, then if she walked straight in one direction, she should see the canyon rim. If what she saw on the rim was any indication though, she only hoped that she had the heart to stomach whatever horrors she would see during her way.

She nodded to herself and putting on a brave face, she started climbing down on the side of the treacherous cliff, praying to her mother that she would not fall as she searched for stable footholds and handholds, all the while trying her hardest not to look down and possibly faint.

One rock at a time, she found her way down. But she didn't know what waited for her below and how far down she needed to go. She closed her eyes and muttered a prayer once again to her mother to give her strength and decided to take a risk and glance down.

Despite her efforts, she was still so high up but what was more disturbing was the bottomless darkness that awaited her down below. At once she felt the familiar dizziness attack her and her legs became limp, and then lost their footing altogether. Shock consumed her as she found herself falling for the third time into the unknown abyss. Why was it that every time she wanted to go up, the Fates wanted her to go down further?

She didn't know how fast or how long she fell but this time the landing hurt as she felt herself roll down a hillside to a stop in absolute darkness. She stayed still for a while, letting the shock of her fall subside before she felt the damage to her body overwhelm her like a tsunami. It hurt a lot! She screamed in pain, her other hand reaching up to her left shoulder. She felt bruised all over but it was her shoulder that felt excruciatingly painful. What happened to her arm? Why did her shoulder hurt a lot?

She gingerly stood up and bit her lower lip to stifle her screams but every movement hurt her shoulder! Deprived of sight, the damage to her person could not be fully realized. So she summoned three small light balls and reluctantly looked at her state, dreading what she'd find.

Her left arm bled from a large gash and hung limply on her side, dislocated from her shoulder.

That was when fear began to consume her. In the middle of darkness so absolute, she couldn't see anything but the rocky floor from her orbs. She was lost in a territory feared the most by mortals and immortals alike, bleeding and bruised in a lot of places with an injury she was wholly unfamiliar with. The sight and pain from her arm frightened her and left her feeling weak.

_Mother…Aidoneus…Someone…Anyone…Help…_

"Aidoneus," she finally cried, tears and blood from a cut on her forehead mixed and fell from her ashen cheek as she trudged forward aimlessly. "Aidoneus please come find me."

888

Hades suddenly felt uneasy on his throne. Someone was praying to him but it didn't seem to come from the above world because he could not hear any banging or feel a blood sacrifice accompanying the prayer. It was more like a whisper, a cry for help coming from deep within his kingdom.

Now who would ask the king of the dead for help in his realm? A lot it seemed.

There were a lot of unrepentant souls who either cursed his existence or begged for repose from his harsh sentences and a few souls from the Elysium fields who blessed his name for his mercy. But whether it was a curse or a blessing, he had learned to turn a deaf ear to all of them.

And this plea was treated likewise but it kept nagging at his consciousness, preventing him from focusing at the task at hand. It was only when he decided to listen did he _feel_ who exactly was calling.

He immediately jumped from his throne and rushed towards Kore's room without regard for propriety, to the surprise of his jury. But when he reached her room, the goddess who was supposed to be sleeping in it wasn't there, and immediately confirmed his suspicions. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, trying to feel if the queen had indeed betrayed him and had headed for one of the exits but there was no anomaly on the borders either. The portals hadn't been touched and the call had indeed come from within his realm.

"Hecate!" he called. "Hecate!"

"Yes, your majesty?" the witch goddess answered as soon as possible, materializing before him from a trail of dark smoke.

"Where is Persephone?"

She stole a glance at the empty room behind the king before she replied, "Forgive me, my lord. I do not know."

"That won't do. Find her!" he bellowed. Hecate bowed low and immediately disappeared. As he walked back towards his throne room, he expanded his senses, scouring the whole Asphodel plains for her, trying to find her essence amidst the trillions and trillions of souls littered on its wide expanse.

When he reached the hall, he found Hecate and Styx standing before his jury, already waiting for his presence.

"Lady Styx? What brought you here?" he asked eyeing the witch goddess questioningly. He asked for Kore not the river goddess.

Styx bowed respectfully before speaking, "My lord, I know where her majesty is."

"Speak."

"I saw her trekking down south with a nymph I do not recognize. A daughter of mine witnessed the queen being pushed into Tartarus and —"

Without waiting for her to finish, Hades instantly sprang into action, rushed towards the stables behind the palace where he kept his ride Delphyne, and immediately flew the dragon down south.

In that split second, he had already figured out that flying there alone was not a good idea. First, he was not as fast as Delphyne and second, he had no idea what state Kore was in. If she were heavily injured (hopefully not), he was not confident that he could carry her without jostling her and exacerbating her injuries.

When he passed the gates of Tartarus, panic slowly started to build up in him. Tartarus was as large as Asphodel and Elysium combined. It was like a canyon the size of two planets filled with innumerable amounts of crevices and chambers of various depths and sizes.

Alone, it took him more than a fortnight to fly around the rim at full speed without rest and it took him half that time to fly around the rim on Delphyne's back. But the size wasn't the problem. The problem was, _for some unknown reason_, he could see and feel the whole layer move restlessly, scrambling his usual landmarks and turning the whole pit into an unpredictable maze.

In other words, his queen was lost in a shifting labyrinth the size of two planets (and unlike another story involving labyrinths, he didn't have a clue…not that it would've been useful in the first place). The situation was beyond looking for a needle in a haystack. It was like looking for a specific aphid in the middle of a meadow. If only she would call his name one more time. Then he would be able to know her exact location.

888

On the other hand, Kore continued to trudge and stagger until she stumbled upon a large building dimly illuminated by her three floating orbs. It looked like the front of the Parthenon but a thousand times bigger, embedded inside a mountain.

And to her, it looked like an abandoned sanctuary. With a teary smile, she entered the temple made completely of a material that not even gods could break: Adamantine.

* * *

**AN: (First Outtake)**

**Eufuelle: [Okay people, people! Let's do this! Scene: Poseidon vs. Zeus; Take 1: Lights, Camera, Action *Beep* Rolling…]**

"As long as I still breathe, you will not touch her!" Poseidon gasped as he climbed on his feet, using his trident as support while extending his other arm, putting Demeter behind him and shielding her from further attacks.

"Then you will be punished along with her!" Zeus declared, summoning a whirlwind infused with lightning around him. The vortex carried him up in midair as he readied his bolts to take their aim.

Poseidon's expression turned equally fierce as he braced himself on the floor and summoned…

A school of angry sharks, dolphins and baby whales…

They suddenly materialized and rained on the floor with a thousand plops! Plop, plop, plop, plop!

**[What the…?]**

With battle-ready, thug-like frowns on their faces, these fishes belly-flopped aggressively on the floor towards Zeus!

"Flop!" Delphin, the fearless prince of all dolphins cried as he brandished his fin. "For the glory of Poseidon, FLOP!"

**[Alright cut! Cut! CUT! Poseidon! Really?!]**

"What? I happen to have very loyal and adorable subjects!"

"Ya don't mess with angry dolphins, missy!" Delphin glared at the author.


	32. Nurse

Demeter and Delphin slipped Poseidon's arms around their necks and walked the wounded king to his large bed. She parted the pearl curtains and carefully set the sea god on the soft sheets, mindful of his injuries. With the god was lying safe, she immediately ordered the dolphin prince to get some ambrosia and nectar. With a curt nod, Delphin sped out the bedroom chamber's doors.

Poseidon smiled at the goddess. "If one were to judge the situation according to your face alone, one would think Thanatos was looming right behind me. I'm not going to die Demeter, so don't worry," he rasped, trying to lighten the mood but failed miserably when he coughed violently and ichor dribbled down the corners of his mouth.

"Poseidon, you better stop talking right now," she chided with a forced calmness, sitting down on the bedside and wiping the golden blood from his mouth with her immaculate white sleeves. "Just hold on until the ambrosia comes. You're going to be alright."

As if on cue, Delphin returned with the ambrosia and nectar at hand. The minister assisted the goddess in any way he could as she gently inclined the sea king and lifted the cup to his lips. After a few sips, the liquid began to do its magic. Poseidon let out a sharp pained gasp and gripped the bed sheets until his knuckled turned white as he felt his ribs set on their own with an audible crunch, his perforated lungs knit, and his electrical burns disappear. The healing process, although brief, was very painful and tiring because it partly used his energy and left him wasted. Demeter then tore a bite-size piece of nectar, the food of the gods, and fed it to him, which was meant to replenish his depleted reserves.

"Thank you, Delphin," she addressed the worried minister. "I'll take it all from here." With a polite bow, Delphin dismissed himself, leaving the goddess sitting beside his master. For a fleeting moment, she was reminded of the days of long ago when all she did all day was tend to the injuries of warrior immortals for ten years together with Hestia and Hera. Although she felt grateful to her brother, she couldn't help but resent and feel guilty about the state he was in. He was in this state because of her and…

_Zeus, _she thought angrily as she conjured a small damp cloth, wiped Poseidon's sweat beaded brow, and watched his breath ease into a more relaxed pace.

Poseidon looked at her eyes, leaned into her gentle touch, and whispered, "I'm sorry…and thank you."

"Don't be an idiot. What are you sorry for? I should be the one thanking you for saving me," she said, not looking at him directly but instead concentrated her attention to her ministrations lest she gave away her guilty feelings.

_I'm sorry it took me so long to stand up for you._ He regretfully remembered the times when she was humiliated in front of the whole pantheon by his brothers and he just sat there doing nothing. It pained him to think that he had done nothing for her but now he was given the chance to make up for it. He grinned and said, "It's not that bad. I'd be your willing meat shield and catch all the bolts Zeus could dish out any day."

"Please don't mention his name right now," she growled, her eyes darkening.

Unfazed, he replied, "Will do. Can I ask you a favor though?"

"What is it?"

"I'm quite exhausted but strangely I'm not sleepy. If it's alright with you, would you please stay and sing for me?"

Demeter paused. She only knew one lullaby and it was filled with fond and precious memories of a time so long ago it seemed like another lifetime – of nights in the darkness, of a small fragile child held in her arms. Her hand unconsciously flew to her chest where a red flower preserved in amber nestled. Poseidon was asking for comfort through song and she wished from the bottom of her heart that Kore was with her right now. She wanted to sing for her too, to comfort both her daughter and herself and settle in that warm familial presence. She prayed that wherever she was, she could hear her and her lullaby filled with her love and longing.

_Kore, if you can hear me darling, please, wherever you are, please be safe, _she prayed. Right now she will sing. She will drown herself in pleasant thoughts and wash away her anger and sorrow even if for a small moment. Laughing quietly, she raked her fingers gently through Poseidon's sea-blue hair and began to sing, "Come don't say a word now…"

When Delphin returned to replace the goddess of her vigil, he found his master sound asleep, a small smile on his face, and the goddess lying beside him with tearstained cheeks. Quietly, the minister slipped away with a small embarrassed shake of his head, as if he saw something that he wasn't meant to see and was trying to forget the image in his head.

888

_Drip. Drip. Drip. _

Kore left a trail of blood on the dark adamantine floor one drop at a time from the wounded arm she cradled gingerly close to her bosom. As soon as she entered the halls of the temple, blue fires began to appear on the massive pillars in quick succession and lit a clear path for her as if she was being beckoned to follow. And indeed, she followed where the light led one slow step after another without a thought.

The dim lights paved her way and led her to a huge chamber where something…no, someone filled her vision.

She gasped. A large man (so big that Kore guessed she was only as long as his forearm) was kneeling on the floor, half of the length of his body, including his lower leg, was absorbed into the wall behind him, as if his back was fused with the wall. And if that weren't enough, he was collared, cuffed and chained to the same wall.

But that wasn't why she gasped.

She was surprised because this man almost looked like the man in her dreams. Almost. There were a few subtle differences. Regardless of the size, this man seemed older than the one in her dreams, and his features were sharp and cruel unlike the sad but kind and gentle features of her dream man. But they had one thing in common – they were both chained and shackled.

"Who – who are you?" she asked the prisoner.

Slowly, the giant's eyes fluttered open, responding to the sound of her unfamiliar voice. His golden eyes framed by his dark lashes were utterly bewitching. His bleary vision soon cleared as he directed his stern and probing gaze down towards the feeble goddess. "Hello child," he said slowly in a deep, velvety voice, his breath blowing against his long dark hair that was hiding half of his handsome face. _How strange. It's not my tormentor it seems_, he smirked in his thoughts. The chains of malice which held him, sensing his evil intent, sent a pulse of pain through his wrists and neck, a mere warning. His eye twitched in response but that was all. He would never allow himself to show weakness in the presence of a new audience. "Are you lost?"

"I…I'm afraid I am…sir," she answered, wincing as her arm began to hurt again. There was something about this man that made her address him formally as 'sir' despite his incarcerated circumstance. It was an aura similar to Aidoneus but far more oppressive, like a dark cloud of suffocating yet irresistible charm and power.

_I do not sense any power or elegance in your simple attitude._ Is this what Daeira meant? What she was looking for in her? But she _was_ a simple goddess. Unlike Aidoneus, she was a mere minor goddess. She had no power or elegance nor the need of it but clearly this man before her had an abundance of them.

Kore groaned as she leaned on the nearest pillar and slid down until she was sitting on the floor. Exhaustion and pain rendered her delirious and immobile. It felt like it would be less painful if she simply ripped her arm off.

The prisoner watched her with feigned concern. "Are you alright? What is your name child?" His smooth voice was compelling her to answer.

"Kore," she whispered weakly, her head leaning against the adamantine behind her as she closed her eyes. It was so tempting to sleep. Maybe her immortality would kick in and heal her during her sleep…

"Hello Kore." There was a slight glint in his eyes as he spoke. "What injustice. You do not belong here in Tartarus, do you?"

"N-no, sir. I fell here by…accident." She rolled her head, casting her face in shadow.

A smile started to creep on his face but was replaced with a grimace when the chains sent another pulse. He gritted his teeth with impatience. He knew her or rather what kind of person she was. In a glance, he had already deduced that she was innocent (and a bad liar too), an anomaly in this part of the Universe. There was no hint of malice or hopelessness in her eyes that seemed to prevail among most of Tartarus' residents. There must be a reason she's in the Underworld let alone its most malevolent sector. At once, he thought of seven possibilities to explain her presence before him but went with the most probable.

He clucked his tongue. "You poor child," he whispered softly. "We both know you are not here by accident. You were forced here…just like me. We do not belong here."

"You don't belong here too? Then what are you doing here?" she rasped.

"I was a king once," he said sharply, his eyes narrowed to a slit. "I led my people through a dark age and brought them to a paradise unlike any other. Smiles and laughter pervaded throughout my kingdom, like the crisp air of dawn. I sat on the top, pouring my light and grace and bestowing happiness to all who looked up at me like sweet ambrosia. But there were those jealous of my position. Those of the darkness who cannot stand within my light because I have exposed them for what they are rebelled and chained me here. I fought for my empire with all my heart but I have been betrayed by the very world I created." He laughed without mirth. "You stand before a defeated king, a broken spirit, who fell from the greatest height and was buried in very depths of Tartarus, chained like an abandoned animal, so that no one will ever see my glorious light once more."

Kore was inexplicably moved by his words. He sounded so full of regret and pain; she wanted to reach out to him. He had been betrayed too but unlike her, he was feeling very bitter about it. "Who are you?" she asked again.

"The broken, the defeated, need not a name lest they taint the name that had once been respected." And then he whispered, "I am no longer worthy of my name."

She approached slowly and knelt before him, careful not to bring more harm to her arm. Looking up and staring at the giant right in the eye, she told him, "You sound like a very good king."

He simply smiled softly down at her and at that moment, he reminded her so much of Aidoneus. Aidoneus. He was a well-respected and well-loved king and somehow, by some stroke of fate, he made her his queen.

_I observed you, looking for the reason the king chose you but I couldn't find any._

Loath was she to admit, she agreed with Daeira. Why her? What made him choose her? Was she worthy of being his queen? No, that is not right. Aidoneus needed her for a specific purpose. They had a contract and according to that contract, she was only here temporarily. But if that were so, then there was no need to make her his queen. Why tie her to the Underworld?

She didn't understand.

_"From this day forth, We, the Sisters of Fates, christen you with your true name, Chthonia Hagne Persephone Soteira Praxidice, Wife and Queen of Hades. You will always carry this name, whether you choose to be or not to be, to embrace or to disgrace, to stand or to fall, to be the sword or the shield."_

_"You have a name blessed by the Fates. As long as you're in my realm, you will be known by this name. Whether you choose to be or not to be, you will forever and always be Queen Persephone of Hades."_

She felt like she was caught in an elaborate web. What did Hades really want with her? What did the Fates plan for her? Was she supposed to stay? Or was she supposed to go?

She whimpered and bit her lip. Right now, more than anything, she wished she had her mother right beside her to take away all the frightening things in the world that seemed determined to consume her. All the questions, all the doubts were taking a toll on her and she wanted nothing more than to feel safe again in all sense of the word.

"Something troubles you, child. You can tell me what it is, Kore," the captive said in a soothing tone.

Kore? Was she still Kore? Was she still the Goddess of Spring or the Queen of the Dead? In a realm which rejects her power, in which she cannot even make a blade of grass grow, a realm which denies all that she knew of herself, who was she? "I am lost. I…I do not know who I am."

"Who are you?" the king repeated but it didn't sound like a question. It sounded like an order. He spoke in a dark and deep voice that sounded like he was forcing an answer out of her when she didn't even know the answer. It was a disconcerting shift in tone.

"I don't know!" she almost screamed. "They call me Kore, they call me Persephone, they call me the goddess of spring, and they call me the queen of the dead! They all know what to call me! Everyone but myself!" She flinched when her outburst moved her shoulder and willed the pain to go away as she took several deep breaths.

"Who do you want to be?" the giant asked severely in the same tone as the previous question. Is this what a soul feels like when facing Aidoneus in judgment?

"I just want to be myself," she answered lamely. "I am Kore but the people here expect me to be Persephone. I don't know who she is. I don't know how to become responsible for all of their expectations. I don't know how to answer the call of the Fates. I don't know how to become her."

"You are queen," he said in a way which seemed final, like there was no room for discussion, like it was so simple. And to him it was a simple decision. Between being a minor goddess and a goddess of power, the choice was painfully simple.

"I am not a queen. I don't know how nor do I know if I want to be," she cried.

Contempt filled the old king then, contempt for this pitiful creature kneeling before him and filled with self-pity. This was the queen of the dead? He didn't know who the king of which kingdom was but whoever the king of the Underworld was, he chose poorly.

"How…?" she whispered.

The prisoner brought back his attention to the lowly creature by his knees and strained to catch her words but it was whispered so softly, he missed it. "Speak up," he demanded impatiently, though frankly he was already bored of her. But if he could use her to somehow unchain himself then that would be nice.

"You were a good king. Tell me, how do you become one?" she asked through gritted teeth. She had come to a decision that she still didn't want to be queen. That was never her intention when she asked that question. When it comes down to it, Persephone was the queen not Kore. _Kore _didn't _want _to be queen but _Persephone _needed to know _how _to be queen. _If _she took on the mantle that is Persephone, and that is a big _if,_ then she needed a teacher.

Unwittingly, Kore had just taken the first step of the many thousands into embracing the persona of Persephone.

The giant was privy to the change of attitude. The fire in her eyes was unmistakable. He laughed at the irony, and at the same time mocked the Fates…no, his mother. Here was the next generation, the generation Gaea made sure he was never to lay eyes on, knocking at his door, practically begging to be his protégé. This was a goddess with untapped power and she was asking him to mold her, show her how to rule a kingdom just like he did once upon a time.

He laughed harder, even as he threw his head back and tears began to fall from his eyes. It was clear. Everything was so clear. He was doomed to forever be locked in Tartarus. There was no escaping his chains. Why did he even bother to hope to manipulate the goddess into freeing him? The chains of malice were unbreakable still he couldn't help but want to be free.

But at the same time, like a flower on a grave, the Fates gave him one last gift. He will not squander this chance. Though he knew he could never sit on a throne again, the Fates made certain that his proud legacy would never be lost. He was acknowledged by Them as the great ruler that he was. And now They sent her for him to leave the seed that will allow his essence to continue on.

He leaned his head back after he reined his mirth. "Persephone," he said in a powerful voice that made no room for doubt upon who he was addressing. He wanted to talk to the queen of the Underworld and no one else. "I will impart to you the secret of great kings: Goal, Determination and Power are but the beginnings of a legacy."

"Goal, Determination and Power?" she repeated.

"Yes. A king must always have a goal for his kingdom and the determination and power to walk towards that goal no matter what. My goal had been to lead my empire to a paradise like the North Star to a traveler and I carved the way towards that paradise through power. It didn't matter what means I used as long as I achieved my goal." Then he looked down at Kore, no Persephone straight in the eye, looking every bit like a magnificent, imperious and charismatic king even though bound and chained. "And I succeeded. I _was_ the North Star."

And for one moment, for one fleeting moment, Kore saw a glimpse of who Persephone was as she absorbed his teaching like water to a parched desert. His powerful words had managed to lodge themselves deep within her psyche like a charm.

_Goal. Determination. And Power. _

"Tell me child, who is the king of the Upperworld?" he asked. It was the one last question of a dying man. He needed to know what happened to his precious kingdom which he sacrificed everything for...even his family. But if there was one child he would have liked to succeed him, then it was his first born. It was his by birthright and also because he was the most level-headed son among the three of them.

"Zeus," she replied.

There was a slight tensed silence before the man rasped, "Zeus?"

Gaea's puppet? He laughed then but it was a laughter tinged with madness. "Zeus?!" Anger, incredulity, disappointment, pride and hatred mixed inside of him at the mere mention of the boy's name. That boy, whom he had renounced as his son, had been and may still be Gaea's puppet as a means of revenge against him. He had used Gaea when she thought she was using him to kill Uranus but then, upon learning so, she turned his children against him which eventually became the cause of his downfall.

If Zeus was the king then the Upperworld had returned to Gaea's hands. And that means everything he did, every sacrifice he made, was all for naught and he knew without doubt that his precious empire had once again began to crumble and return to that chaos before his rule.

That thought alone filled him with so much anger and hatred that the chains of malice reacted to it and began an especially painful dose of shock. A surge of thick, dark smoke ran across the chains and wormed its way into the giant's wrists and neck through the shackles. The places where the smoke touched began to smolder. But he didn't care. He wanted to be free. He cursed his incompetent spawn. No! He needed to go back. He needed to wrench away his creation from that treacherous evil goddess!

The old king's unseeing, mad eyes frightened Kore. It was as if the man he was talking to earlier had been possessed by a madman. But her fright turned to panic when she saw what was truly happening to him – he was getting wounded. Her heart jumped from her chest when she heard his first pained howl. It was long, drawn out and so very heartbreaking that it was like hearing a dog begging to be put out of his misery. When tears of blood began to fall from his eyes, she climbed from where she sat and rushed towards the chains, her own pain momentarily forgotten as she grabbed the massive dark links, wanting to take it apart.

But the poison channeling into the prisoner was potent. As soon as she touched them, the smoke climbed up her arm, burning her, making her feel more pain than she already was. At first it seemed that the smoke was successfully climbing up her arm too but in reality it wasn't. Somehow, without her realizing, she was negating the dark poison of malice until a chink appeared on the link she was touching. It was inconspicuous but Kore had just created a weak link.

"AIDONEUS!" she managed to scream as the fire burned every one of her nerves and then she saw him before she felt her consciousness slip away.

Like a blazing meteor, her guardian, her savior cloaked in dark flames appeared barging through the halls with a loud boom and in another second he was catching her, pulling her away from the poisonous chains. As soon as she called his name, he rushed in, leaping from Delphyne's back with a speed he didn't know he possessed and might have even given Hermes a run for his money. There was no way to describe his expression when he surveyed her bleeding state but in his heart, he wanted to scream in pained horror like his father before him.

"Persephone," he said thickly, his voice uncharacteristically hoarse. It took him great effort to say anything at the moment; his only thought was to get his queen to safety as he tenderly carried her, making sure to carry her like she was made of porcelain and paying special attention to her disjointed arm.

"Aidoneus," the prisoner mewled softly between pants as soon as Hades turned around. "Son…"

He spared him a glare over his shoulder so malicious it could kill. "Spare me your breath, Cronus." He was in no mood to deal with the deposed monarch or hear his father's senseless drivel. Persephone took top priority.

"Your queen is so naïve, Hades," he chuckled weakly. With his son looking at him with so much anger, it was like looking at a mirror. It has been so long since he had seen anyone except his tormentor. Despite his situation, a visit from his son and daughter-in-law had been enough.

Hades didn't dignify it with a response and turned around.

_For now at least _"…she does not suit you."

That did it. His tenuous patience snapped and without turning around, he answered the old god with a twitch of his finger. At once the wall behind Cronus produced spikes which impaled the Titan in multiple places, including his throat and so that the previous king could no longer utter a word. But of course being an immortal, the Titan wouldn't die from it. It was simply another punishment for him. Hades felt some of the golden ichor splatter on his robes but he paid it no mind. His queen needed healing and whoever had done this to her needed to be apprehended. Most severely.

Hades wasn't anything if not vengeful.

888

Hecate stole a glance of her lord and master anointing the unconscious queen with ambrosia, her wounds healing where his damp fingers touched. She had offered to set Kore's shoulder but Hades shook his head and set the dislocated arm himself. Hecate shifted on the bed where their queen was lying and dipped her fingers once again into the small bowl beside her and rubbed more ambrosia on the more minor wounds, both of them were working as quickly as possible. The desperate tension Hades was exuding was almost palpable. Even though she felt responsible she knew that her king was feeling even more so for the queen's current physical state.

"It's alright now my lord. All she needs now is to drink ambrosia and she would be fine," she said as she replaced Kore's clothes, hoping that her words would comfort the perturbed emperor. Once Kore drank the ambrosia, her shoulder and other internal injuries should be fully healed.

Hades closed his eyes and let out the breath he didn't know he was holding. He had been worried, so very worried he could still feel his heart pounding in his chest. Tentatively, he reached out and tucked a stray strand of Kore's hair behind her ear.

The witch goddess smiled and gathered the bowls of ambrosia but left a goblet of it on the bedside table, just in case Kore woke up. She could already see that as far as her lord was concerned, she wasn't there any more. It was more of a silent dismissal than anything. And so taking her cue, she left the monarchs alone in the bedroom of the queen.

Hades tenderly lifted Kore's right hand and brought it to his face, inhaling the scent from her steady pulse. Her pulse had been so thready because of the blood loss and even though he knew that she was immortal, it didn't matter. For the king of the dead, immortality was an illusion and he would rather not test its limits.

A deep-seated fear, an unforgettable image, emerged when he saw her bloodied state. It rocked him, practically destroyed him. Suddenly, contemplating whether to keep her at arm's length or not seemed extremely, horribly insignificant. No, he didn't care about that anymore. Who cared if he was hurt so long as she wasn't, as long as she was happy?

He shouldn't have brought her down here in the first place. He should break the deal, divorce her, set her free, and return her to the Upperworld, his heart be damned. He would leave all judicial responsibilities to the three judges and their goddess if he had to. He didn't mind becoming reduced to a useless figurehead and if that wasn't satisfactory enough for his subjects then he didn't mind abdicating. He didn't care about regaining his compassion any longer.

None of that mattered anymore. He was Hades, the personification and ruler of his entire domain. If she was hurt within his realm then he might as well have been the one to raise his hand against her. His heart throbbed painfully at the horrible thought as he took a shaky breath.

But he knew his gentle queen. In her naivety, she would forgive him as if he wasn't the culprit in the first place. But even if she forgave him, how could he forgive himself? There must be a punishment for him. If she wouldn't punish him then he would punish himself. It was justice.

Kore felt gentle warmth traveling from her hand and when she fluttered her eyes open, she found him. Hades was hunched over, his head bowed and his eyes closed as if contemplating on something grave. He was holding her hand against his cold cheek, the kindest gesture she had seen from him so far, and at the moment nothing filled her but pure, unadulterated relief. She had been very scared. No matter what brave front she put on, she had been undeniably scared. _But he came_, she thought, a slight smile forming on her lips. _He came when I called him_.

"Ai-Aidoneus," Kore whispered weakly, exhaustion evident in her voice (who wouldn't be? She literally went through Tartarus). He opened his eyes in full attention and looked at her but what's that? There was a frown on his face. Was he angry with her? But there was also anxiety evident on his features. She turned her hand and caressed his cheek, her fingers brushing against the black porcelain mask. Somehow, even with the mask, she could see his expression and emotions clear as crystal. She wanted to think that maybe she was becoming more adept at reading him.

"Kore," he managed to ground out. That caught her attention. Ever since they were married, he never called her Kore. It was always Persephone. She tried to shift but was immediately reminded that she was injured by the sharp pain coursing across her shoulder. She winced as she grasped the unhealed joint.

Hades immediately grabbed the chalice sitting on the bedside table and carefully maneuvered the goddess into a sitting position so she could drink the healing liquid. A small whimper managed to escape her lips as the ambrosia healed her internal injuries.

Once he was assured that the goddess was in perfect health, he gathered his thoughts. "Kore," he repeated solemnly.

"I'm sorry!" Kore said sitting up before he could say anything more. Him calling her Kore was bothering her more than she wanted to admit. She was so sure that he was angry with her so she would rather admit she was wrong than suffer his wrath any longer.

He immediately let go of the hand he was holding until now and stood up in cold fury, "What are you apologizing for?"

"I-I don't know. You were suddenly addressing me as Kore so I thought you were angry at me."

He let out an exasperated sigh and settled back down to her bed, his rage vanishing just like that. With his back towards her, he covered his face with both his hands and said, "I'm not angry at you. I'm just the one who should be apologizing."

"What are you sorry for Aidoneus?" she asked, cocking her head to the side.

Hades shook his head, letting his hands down but still keeping his back towards her. "You…don't belong here."

"What do you mean?"

His features hardened as he stared on the opposite wall like he intended to bore a hole through it with his gaze alone. "I'm telling you, you're free."

"I don't understand," she replied as she laid a hand on his shoulder to turn him around.

And when he did, Kore didn't like what she saw. He covered her hands with his own and with a resolute voice he continued, "I have hurt you, physically injured you. I cannot…I will not…you need to go."

She shook her head and gave him a reassuring smile, trying to ease his obvious worry that she was sure was clouding his mind at the moment. "You are not making any sense, Aidoneus. You didn't hurt me. In fact I'm grateful to you for saving me." She moved to embrace him and whispered to his heart, "I was scared. When I was alone down there and when that dark smoke started crawling up my arm, you don't know how scared I was. But then I called your name and you came. You came. Thank you."

He hesitantly returned her embrace, feeling her tremble beneath his arms. _I did this, _he thought with a grimace. _I caused this. She wouldn't be scared in the first place if she wasn't there. If she weren't here…_

He didn't need her, he convinced himself. He was fine without her. He would be. For her sake.

Kore felt safe and warm ensconced within his strong arms. This was what she had been longing for. She didn't mind staying like this for a little bit more.

He gently pulled her away and that was when she saw a thick wall building behind his demeanor. It was as if suddenly there's a massive distance between them, as if he were looking at an unknown stranger with how cold he was looking at her. He never looked at her like that before. Even when she first came here and he bluntly announced "you are my wife", there was slight friendly emotion behind his gaze, and that was why she could quickly get comfortable around him. But this…this was different. She felt like she was looking at a different person altogether.

He stood up and looked down on her with the mask he usually put on when he was judging souls and sending them to Tartarus. "Kore, from this moment on you are no longer needed in this realm. You will return from whence you came. I now banis–"

Whatever he was about to say was cut off when a knock sounded beyond the door and Thanatos' voice filtered in. "My lord, we have found the culprit."

Hades' tongue froze, his words caught at the back of his throat. He couldn't utter it. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't banish her. With nothing else to say he immediately turned around, cursing and blessing the Fates in his mind. "Good work, Thanatos," he said as he passed his loyal minister. Maybe he was being too hasty. He needed to stop doing things in the spur of the moment and think things through. He was usually level-headed but if it involves anything concerning _her, _then there goes his reason_. _Anything and everything concerning that goddess was an emotional ride akin to the erratic waves of the sea on his part.

In a word, he's cursed.

For now though, he needed to withhold sending her away and give his attention to whoever pushed her down to Tartarus in the first place.

_What just happened? _Kore asked herself. _He was sending me away even to the point of banishing me. Now wait just a minute. _That absolutely deserves an explanation!

She followed him, racing through the winding halls to the judgment room where she was sure she would find him. She reached the judgment room in time to see a god with a furious look on his face drag an indignant nymph, whom she recognized as Daeira, through the halls by her hair. When the angry god reached the dais, he threw Daeira unto the stairs, who yelped upon impact, before he knelt reverently before Hades, the king sitting on the throne with an impassive look on his face.

"This explains a lot," was all Hades said.

"Your majesty, I beg your forgiveness," she said as if she were apologizing for lack of manners or a faux pas rather than a crime as she glanced towards the raging god behind her. "Father please!" she turned to the kneeling god, looking for all the world like she was embarrassed for being brought to the throne so imprudently.

"Silence!" the unknown god roared, slapping Daeira with the back of his hand. "For the crime of raising your hand against the queen, you are no longer my daughter!" Then turning his reverent sights back to Hades he continued, "Your Majesty, I humbly beg for your forgiveness that," he looked at the nymph with utter disgust, "some_thing_ like _this_ has caused you trouble. Please do with _it_ as you wish."

Kore, who was standing by the doorway beside the semicircular dais and hidden by the dark curtains, gasped when she saw the violence against her handmaiden. Thinking on her feet, she immediately rushed to the poor nymph's side, her betrayal utterly forgotten.

"_That_," Hades glared at the nymph, "is unforgivable Cocytus."

The nymph shook, a sense of doom instilling in her. There was a cold, biting rage in the king's tone. _The king is angry at me? That slip of a girl was worthy of his fury? _She didn't regret pushing the so-called queen down the fiery pit. What she did truly regret was causing the king trouble. She also failed to understand his wrath. She thought she was doing the kingdom a favor by getting rid of that parasite. She gritted her teeth. _That slip of a girl everyone calls queen, this is all her fault!_

"Daeira!" Kore called as she threw herself to her handmaiden's side, placing a tender touch on the red mark on Daeira's cheek. "Are you alright Daeira?"

Daeira didn't answer but instead bowed her head. Mistaking the gesture for shame, Kore continued, "Don't worry. I forgive you."

"She is unworthy of your forgiveness, Persephone," Hades said from behind her. She immediately turned around, bringing her arms across Daeira as if shielding her from his wrath. "And her name is not Daeira," he said scathingly, turning his narrowed furious gaze on the nymph. "Isn't that right, Menthe?"

* * *

AN: My longest chapter yet. The reason? Because the previous chapter was so short and also I may or may not update the week after because it's officially the start of academia.

This had actually been a pain to write. I wanted Cronus to appear like the God of Charisma but I think I failed at that. Also no one seems to comment on Demeter and Poseidon's development...is that good or bad?

So now that we have a glimpse of Cronus, how badly do you want to see his childhood?

On another note, Menthe reminds me of Tartarus... that guy is going to kill me whenever he gets back from his happy place. I've practically written him off... ahahah...(I'm dead)

Constructive criticizms (or just criticizms in general) are appreciated :D


	33. Challenge

In the Court of Judgment, the two monarchs stood against each other. Hades was looking down from his throne on the nymph with blatant revilement. Kore, on the other hand, was kneeling beside Menthe (previously known as Daeira) with her arm spread protectively in front of the nymph as if shielding her from Hades' cold wrath while meeting his gaze with her own defiant one. But her determination faltered when she heard her husband reveal her handmaiden's true name.

"Menthe?" she asked nonplussed and turned to face the nymph, searching her for either confirmation or denial (most preferably the latter). "Your…name is Menthe?"

"Yes that's right," the nymph replied ungratefully. "Please put your hands down. I do not need your protection." Cocytus snarled warningly from behind.

It hurt her to realize that the person she trusted and regarded as a friend, before and even after what most people would consider a betrayal, would lie to her about something as simple yet significant as a name. Giving one's name was equivalent to giving one's trust. If Menthe never gave her name then she never considered her a friend. And if so, then her mission had been to push her to Tartarus all along…and she fell for it (literally and figuratively). That hurt her even more because she really did like Daeira or rather Menthe. On the bright side, at least she now knew Daeira's real name.

"You impudent nymph!" Hades glowered with unrestrained rage. "How _dare_ you talk to the queen like that?" He then stood from his throne and marched down the stairs slowly, his image growing more menacing with each echoing step he took. Small sparks of fire even flickered at his heels.

Kore and Menthe couldn't speak, couldn't move and even forgot to breathe – transfixed as they beheld Hades' infamous rage – but for entirely different reasons.

While Kore was legitimately and reasonably frightened, Menthe was ecstatic. She drank the king's most imperious presence with awe. His very image of ruthlessness sparked the flames of desire in her, reminded her of the day she first laid eyes on him – on that day when he gathered the chthonic forces to invade the Upperworld – and it was all directed at her.

She had to fight the smile from appearing on her lips as another shiver ran down her spine, as she drowned in the waves of his furious and powerful majesty. _Oh what joy! Aidoneus truly is the most beautiful, the darkest diamond, in existence,_ she thought.

Hades reached the bottom of the stairway, his last step echoing like a loud knell. He slowly reached his hand, pausing just before Menthe's face as if he readied to blast her with his dark fire. The nymph only feared for her life for a split second, resigning her destiny to the god who had been the object of her fantasies for two centuries. What better way to die than by the hands of the one she loved?

Kore looked between her husband and Menthe, wondering what he's going to do to the nymph. The answer came soon enough when Menthe suddenly threw herself back and hit the floor hard then began to convulse and writhe soundlessly, her mouth open in a silent scream and her unseeing eyes moving erratically with pain and fear.

"Aidoneus! _What are you doing?_" she screamed in absolute terror as she grabbed the nymph frantically, trying to control her jerking movements so she wouldn't hurt herself. A small gasp escaped the nymph's mouth and soon enough Kore discovered that Menthe couldn't even breathe!

"It's something Tartarus taught me," he answered nonchalantly, his eyes never releasing the fury in them while his outstretched arm followed the nymph's form. "She has tested my patience for the last time."

Kore looked between the two gods in the room and both were wearing the same cruel expression as if Menthe deserved every bit of pain that she was going through. It wasn't right! As the woman continued to move unnaturally under her hold, she became filled with fear and panic. There was no way she could let the nymph continue to suffer like this!

In an act of desperation, she launched herself and grabbed Hades' hand, redirecting it away from Menthe. Instantly the nymph's suffering abated as she gulped a lungful of air.

"Stop it!" she pleaded. "Please! She doesn't deserve this! I already forgave her!"

"Her transgressions cannot be easily forgiven, Persephone. She must be punished," Hades explained as he watched Menthe slowly roll to her side and cough violently.

"Your- Your majesty," she coughed in a low broken voice as she tried to get up on all fours, her limbs shaking from the effort. "I —"

Cocytus disappeared and reappeared by Menthe's side in a wisp of smoke. "Silence wench!" he said angrily as he grabbed her hair again and slammed her head on the red carpet floor like he was putting down a wild animal. "For what you've done, you do not deserve to speak to his majesty or even breathe in his presence any longer."

"_Stop it! Let go of her!_" Kore cried at the river god. She couldn't move fast enough to stop the violence from happening to her friend and she knew that once she let go of Hades, he would resume his punishment.

"But Your Grace —"

"Enough Cocytus. It seems our methods are upsetting my queen. Very well then," Hades said as he looked at Kore and carefully considered what punishment befits the crime of pushing the queen of the Underworld to the realm of the unrighteous dead. Then turning his sights to the river god he continued, "Give her to Alecto. I'll have Tartarus deal with her."

"Yes, your majesty!" Cocytus bowed as he started to stand and lift Menthe by her hair.

"Stop! Don't move!" Kore ordered almost exasperatedly. How many times must she say the word 'stop' to these two? She looked at Hades squarely in the eye, determined to make him understand her wishes and her heart. "This," she waved her hand to point behind her. "Is not what I meant. I want her to walk away from this unscathed. Her crime was against me and, as her victim, I had absolved her!"

"You will do no such thing, Persephone!" Hades bit back as he tried his best to keep his voice level. "She stole you from your room and pushed you down in the fiery pit – the last place you deserve to go even if you were mortal – and then became severely wounded in the process. You are my wife and such actions against you are a direct affront to me, do you understand? To let her go without punishment is injustice of the highest degree! I _will_ make her take responsibility regardless of whether or not you forgive her."

Everyone felt and heard the hard, unmoving finality in how he said his last statement and it oddly stripped Kore's determination away. She slowly let go of his hand and searched him once more, trying to understand his penchant for retribution.

"But-but," she sputtered. She was running out of ideas. How could she convince him to pardon Menthe?

Menthe stared at the red fibers of the carpet, the pain from her hair being pulled taut partially forgotten. She had finally understood why he was so angry. It's not that the queen was worthy of his fury (because she wasn't) but because she had disrespected him and brought his judgment into question. His choice of queen, poor as it may be, was his choice alone and she tried to fix it. Who was she to assume that she knew better than the king? "I accept whatever fate you deem fit for me, my lord," she said despondently.

"NO!" Kore yelled at her, blinking back tears of frustration. "Enough! I don't want you to go to there." She looked back to her husband and pleaded him, "Please. If you really must punish her then give her a lighter sentence. There must be another way."

She looked at Kore in unbelief. Why was the queen so foolish and defiant? After everything she had done, why would the queen go to such lengths to defend her? Couldn't she see that she was questioning the authority of the realm's highest power? She had already resigned to her fate so there shouldn't be a problem. So what was the queen's problem? This simply proved that this miserable naïve _girl_ was unfit to rule beside Aidoneus. So why couldn't _he_ see it?

Maybe she simply needed to highlight her flaw.

"Do you really wish for me to go unpunished, my lady?" Menthe asked with an awed look, acting like she couldn't believe Kore's graciousness while internally hoping that her charade could withstand the scrutiny of both the king and her father.

"Yes Menthe," she replied with a fierce nod.

She brought a hand to her chest and inhaled, trying her best to look strong and intimidating despite her position. "Then challenge me!"

Cocytus' hand suddenly flew and clenched around Menthe's throat. "There is no need to pollute your ears listening to her drivel, your grace. Please allow me to personally escort her down Tartarus for you."

Hades approved the river god's actions. Cocytus was the picture of a loyal subject – kneeling on one knee, his head bowed as if just waiting for the confirmation to his suggestion while at the same time choking the breath out of his struggling daughter.

But the same sight was too much for a goddess who had never experienced even a slap on the wrist. Kore could even count on one hand how many times her mother raised her voice at her. She found it extremely unsettling that her pleas for nonviolence had gone unheard by both gods, like she was a gusting wind that could be easily ignored.

Finally she didn't even bother on saying anything but instead ran towards the pair and pulled Cocytus' wrist forcefully from Menthe's neck. The river god didn't fight her as she thought he would but she didn't let go of him immediately. Instead she gave him a warning glare before releasing him, making Cocytus step back tentatively.

"Are you alright?" She knelt down and rubbed Menthe arm. The nymph nodded slightly as she coughed and gingerly massaged her throat. It seemed like people were determined to close her airway today if nothing else. "What do you mean by challenge?" she whispered.

"Challenge me to a chariot race in the Chthonic Games," Menthe whispered hoarsely. "If you win, then do whatever you want with me. But if I win, I shall walk myself to Tartarus."

"Why would you want to go there?" Kore asked, stumped. She didn't understand how anyone would want to go there. Did Menthe plan on losing deliberately?

"Because Lord Hades wills it," she answered honestly. _Can you see my loyalty, my lord? _she thought. _See how far I would go for you? I will never defy you… unlike this other foolish woman. _With this, she hoped she could prove that she was a better match for Hades than Kore was.

Hades on his part merely clenched his jaw. The sly nymph was acting like a victim and turning him into the villain in his wife's eyes at the same time. In any case, what kind of situation was this? The criminal and victim were acting illogically. The criminal was fighting for her imprisonment while the victim was fighting for the criminal's freedom… (He figured it's either an underworld thing or a woman thing with both being irrational as their common ground – like bitter grapes).

"Then I challenge you to a chariot race!" Kore replied with a curt and understanding nod. "Tell me when and where and I'll be there. Mark my words, I will save you from Tartarus even if it means saving you from yourself!"

Menthe smirked. "A month from now, in the Arena of the Nymphs."

"Are you done?" Hades snapped, crossing his arms. "Because I can no longer stand this ridiculous…whatever this is you women are pulling off. Icelos!" he called.

From a dark, shadowy corner behind a nearby pillar, thick black smoke gathered until it eventually formed the body of the lilac haired pretty-boy god of nightmares. "You rang, my lord?" he answered with a flourishing bow.

"Take her into your care," he growled and pointed at Menthe. "And make sure she stays with you and Hypnos for a week. Do you understand me?"

Icelos immediately straightened up and glanced at Menthe. "Yes, of course your majesty," he answered softly with a smile. He walked towards the nymph and held out his hand in a gentlemanly fashion. "Would you please follow me, lovely belladonna?"

Menthe's hand faltered for a moment before she grabbed his hand firmly and stood up. Icelos smiled at her as they were wrapped and dissolved by the same column of smoke that brought the nightmare god in.

"My lord?" Cocytus straightened up and waited.

"You are dismissed," Hades replied with a careless wave of his hand.

He nodded and bowed, bringing one arm across his chest in a crisp salute before he disappeared in a similar manner as the two former occupants of the room.

The two monarchs were then left alone in the hall, an awkward silence stretching between them. Finally Hades sighed and ran a hand across his face exasperatedly. "This has to be one of the most ridiculous situations I've ever been in and for once Tartarus wasn't here to cause it. I don't understand. Don't you want to avenge yourself from her betrayal?"

Kore turned to Hades. "I will never nor can I ever let anyone suffer for my sake. Because seeing other people suffer pains me deeply so I try my best to save them," she said slowly, emphasizing her points so that Hades could understand where she was coming from.

"But Menthe wronged you," he reasoned, raising a skeptical brow.

She nodded. "Menthe may have wronged me but I have forgiven her. Before she pushed me, she told me that I was too weak to be your queen…and she was right. I was a queen in name alone because I didn't want to be your queen and she took offense to that. Anyone would." She bowed her head in shame, "I still don't know if I want to be your queen partly because I don't have a goal yet nor do I have a purpose. So I will not let her suffer for my indecision."

He scoffed at her foolishness. "You have a purpose in my kingdom, you know that. But fine. Do what you will."

"Thank you!" She grinned. "But you know I need a favor from you."

"What is it?"

"I will try my hardest to win that chariot race and when I do, you will answer all my questions honestly. For example, why were you banishing me earlier?" she said evenly.

Hades took a step back. "I-I didn't mean to. It was a spur of the mome-"

"No." She held her hand up. "I don't want to hear it now. I have a heap of questions that must be asked and answered when we're both calm and rational."

"Are-are you angry right now?" he asked hesitantly.

"Between getting almost banished as soon as I've recovered from falling into the infamous land of pain and suffering to being ignored and forced to witness violence from a father against his daughter, which you condoned, yes I'm relatively upset right now but not angry. But I'm afraid that even if you have answers to all my questions right now, I will not be receptive to them. So please in one month I will have with me a list of questions and I want you to promise me that you will answer them honestly."

He was stunned by her candidness and how she could be so simple and honest with her thoughts and feelings. But what if he didn't have the answers to her questions or worse? What if she didn't like the answers to her questions? He didn't even know what she wanted to know.

"Alright," he agreed. "But I reserve the prerogative to choose which questions I will answer."

She nodded. "As long as you're honest that's fine with me. Now that that's taken care of, all I have to do is figure out what a chariot race is and win!" She pumped both her fists enthusiastically.

Now Hades was just dumbfounded. "You don't know what a chariot race is?"

"Hey! I know what a chariot and a race is," she huffed and frowned, looking offended. After a moment, she laughed sheepishly. "I just haven't heard them put together before let alone drove one."

Hades sighed, inwardly amused by her antics. "Do you want me to teach you?" Frankly, he wanted her to fail because then Menthe would be marching straight to Tartarus where she belonged without any qualms from the queen. However if he sabotaged Kore then it would seem like _he _was siding with Menthe, which left a bitter taste in his mouth, but if Kore won then his sense of justice would be compromised. That sly nymph had him cornered.

"That wouldn't be right," she replied, shaking her head. "It wouldn't be fair to Menthe. It would seem like we're teaming up against her when I obviously challenged her."

He snorted. "The way I see it, she challenged you."

"Maybe. It doesn't matter. The point is I can't have you teach me." She massaged her temples while she considered her dilemma. "Could you recommend a teacher though?"

"Hmm. I may have someone." Someone he could ask to sabotage the race for him.

"Really? Who?" she asked, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Erebus."


End file.
